


Knight Time in the Realm (2/2)

by thebasement_archivist



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-04-15
Updated: 2000-04-15
Packaged: 2018-11-21 01:12:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 54,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11346882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebasement_archivist/pseuds/thebasement_archivist
Summary: A BDSM Alternate Universe Fantasy. Kings, palaces, and handsome soldiers for hire. Fun and very smutty.





	Knight Time in the Realm (2/2)

**Author's Note:**

> Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Basement](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Basement), which moved to the AO3 to ensure the stories are always available and so that authors may have complete control of their own works. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Basement's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thebasement/profile).

 

Knight Time in the Realm by DiAnn

The procession of dark cloaked figures moved quickly out of the now unguarded open gate. They fled at breakneck speed until they were well out of sight of the castle, Sir Walter holding tightly to the prince. After they had ridden for almost an hour, the knight pulled his horse to an abrupt halt.

"We need to stop. The price hasn't regained consciousness and he's burning with fever. I need to assess his condition more closely and see if there's anything I can do for him."

They pulled their horses into a dense thicket by a small stream. Sir Walter dismounted carefully, never relinquishing his hold on the ailing prince. He carried him to a patch of lush grass and gently lay him down. The others gathered around, their faces identical in their expressions of deep concern.

"Damn it, they split his lip." Frohike grumbled.

"That could be the least of our worries." Sir Walter said as he ran his hand over the prince's dark head, finding several lumps and bumps. "They weren't easy with him, that's obvious."

"Who shot that guard?" Byers asked of his companions.

"That's been happening for days." Royce spoke up. "Every time that mean old man Spender tried to do bad things to the prince, an arrow would come out of no where and stop him. No one has found the archer, even though they searched for him within minutes of every attack on that evil knight. He pretends to be the new king but he isn't. Not really. Prince Fox is our king now."

"A king without his throne is no king at all," Sir Walter growled. "Our prince would not have us bow to him too quickly. We have to oust Spender and regain what rightfully belongs to Prince Fox." The others shook their heads in solemn agreement. The task would be near to impossible but crucial to the survival of the Realm of Meridiem.

Sir Walter found it difficult to contain his temper as he carefully examined all the many injuries that now covered the prince's body. The knight bit back a curse as he gently turned the prince only to find the many whip marks that covered Fox's back from shoulders to knees. But though the skin was raw and cruelly welted, there were no deep lacerations.

"Where the hell is this fever coming from?" Sir Walter carefully turned Fox onto his back once more, lowering the cloak. Everyone gasped when the nasty gash just above his groin, came into view. Though not particularly deep, it had gone untreated for too long, and was now a flaming red, oozing with infection.

"Damn them all! Damn them all to hell and gone!" Raged the infuriated knight.

"What should we do?" Langly whispered. "That looks bad."

Sir Walter rubbed a frustrated hand over his face. "All we can do right now is clean it. Do we have anything we can use for bandages?"

Everyone immediately began to rip at the tails of their tunics. Sir Walter quickly raised his hand to halt them. "I don't think we all need to be naked. Decide among yourselves. I'll be right back."

Skinner lifted the prince into his arms and carried him over closer to the cool, rippling water of the little brook. He torn a piece from his own tunic and carefully washed not only the infected area but several other small cuts and scrapes that the prince had acquired in his stay with the newly crowned King Spender. Soon to be a dead man, if Sir Walter had any say in the matter.

Sir Walter carried Prince Fox back to his grassy bed to find a small white tunic waiting for him. Lucy gave him one of her best defensive scowls. "I had a sweater on over it. I didn't really need it anyway. Here." She handed him a handful of small green leaves. "Crust those and put them on the wound. It will help a little with the infection."

"I'm sure the prince will tell you how grateful he is when he can, Lucy." Skinner accepted the offering from the little brownie.

"I don't need no gratitude from anybody. You just make sure you take good care of the prince, that's all you need to do. He'll know I need no words of thanks from him." Lucy turned, embarrassed, and stalked away from the others.

"That is one pissy little girl." Langly offered as he watched her walk away.

"Maybe she has cause to be that way." The little boy offered.

Skinner bandaged the prince's long neglected injury. He desperately wanted to get some water into Fox but that would have to wait until the prince came around a little. "You know a lot about what goes on at the palace, Royce."

"I kept my ear to the ground, sir knight. I never knew when I might hear something that would be of interest to my prince. My life and my loyalty belong to Prince Fox."

"That's good to hear, Royce. I'm sure the prince would accept your loyalty most eagerly, but we had best make sure you keep your life for a while. I think Prince Fox would be very angry if we failed in that matter."

"Yes," the little boy answered seriously. "Prince Fox does not condone the taking of life unless no other course is available."

"You're right, Royce, he doesn't."

Skinner turned his attention back to the care of the prince, wondering how such a young servant had become so enamored of the crown prince. It was Fox's opinion that much of Meridiem considered him odd and unfit to rule, but his many small acts of generosity and kindness had not gone unnoticed by his people. King Fox would find himself with a following of loyal and devoted subjects.

"Byers, how far is this Thunder Mountain where Dana is being held prisoner?" Skinner asked as he finished dressing the prince in some clothing that Royce had stolen from the stables.

"Two days ride. Should we not go back to the cave and give the prince a chance to heal before we attempt to retrieve Dana, sir knight?" Byers voiced as his other two companions nodded in agreement.

Skinner hesitated several long moments before he answered. "If we wait, we may be too late. Fox needs Dana's healing attention as soon as possible. I'm very worried about him."

It was a solemn little group that mounted their horses and turned them in the direction of Thunder mountain and the healing sorceress Dana.

* * *   
Enorus Mountain Trail   
One Day Later

Sir Walter pulled the prince back more tightly against his chest, wrapping the cloak securely around his shivering, fever racked body. He was trying desperately to shield the prince from the slow, steady drizzle that fell endlessly on the soaked and miserable, entourage. The prince's head lolled back to lie listlessly on Sir Walter's shoulder, the knight placing a kiss on the damp, fevered brow that now lay so close to his mouth.

"I promise, peasant boy, I'll find Dana for you. I promise by all that I am."

"Th . . .that's enough of a . . .promise for me." A weak whisper answered him.

Sir Walter abruptly stopped his horse, reaching for his water pouch. "Here, peasant boy, you need to drink some water. How are you feeling?"

The prince drank greedily. "Like . . .like I was held prisoner . . .by a madman." The prince raised his head to look at the other members of his escort. "Hey Royce, you . . .you okay?"

"Yes, my lord, I'm right as rain." The small boy gave him a wet-faced smile, knowing the prince would enjoy his little joke.

The prince managed a slight smile for the boy, then turned once more to face Sir Walter. "Where . . .are we going?"

"To Dana." Sir Walter answered, once more pressing his lips to the prince's burning skin. "Go back to sleep, peasant boy, we'll be there soon."

Sir Walter forced a few more swallows of water down the prince, and then allowed him to once more close his eyes, his head lying safely on the knight's broad, muscular shoulder.

"Is he better?" Lucy asked hopefully.

"Maybe a little." Skinner lied. "We need to get him out of this infernal rain. How much further is it?"

"We should be at the Rain King's keep by noon," Frohike answered. "Then we need a plan. This Darrell Moots is a powerful and greedy overlord. He'll not want to give up his prize easily."

"Is this man, Moots, loyal to Spender do you think?"

"The Rain King is loyal only to himself. He will be on whatever side is the most profitable for himself. He is a little light on the moral side of the scale, if you know what I mean." Frohike frowned in disapproval.

"So he took Dana because someone paid him to do so?"

"Without doubt. The Rain King does little that doesn't line his pocket with gold or at least further his interests in some way."

Skinner thought this over. Mercenaries were a heartless lot but much easier to deal with than a man impassioned by his own version of the truth. He would much rather come up against a Rain King than a Fox Mulder any day.

"We need an army or a bag of gold." Skinner mused, almost to himself.

"We could ask the Fenig Elves. They are extremely loyal to the prince."

Skinner raised his eyes to Byers. "We have need of fighting men. From what I've seen of the Fenig . . ."

"Don't misinterpret the abilities of the elves by your dealings with Max. He is a gentle soul, as are all the elves, but fiercer warriors you won't find, especially where the prince is concerned. Prince Fox sent a healer to them when their queen fell ill, and would accept nothing in payment. The elves hold such a favor as a life duty. Prince Fox could call them and they would respond without delay."

They found shelter under a meager outcropping of rock. Skinner lay the still unconscious prince down in the most protected corner. He gently slapped Fox's smooth, flushed cheeks.

"Come on, peasant boy, open those pretty eyes for me. We need you to help us rescue Dana. Come on, wake up, just for a just a little while."

Mulder began to moan and squirm a little as Sir Walter continued to try to awaken him but refused to open his eyes. "Wake up, brat! You're in big trouble!" The knight finally shouted in his most authoritative voice.

The prince's eyes immediately popped open to stare into the knight's smiling face. "S. . .sir?"

"I thought that might work. How are you feeling, Fox?"

"I'm kay."

"I know you're still feeling like hell, but we need your help to rescue Dana."

"Rescue! Wh . . .where's Dana? What's happened to Dana?" The prince struggled to sit up, but was gently pushed back down by the big knight.

"Calm down, peasant boy. We'll get her back. The Rain King abducted her and is holding her at his keep on Thunder Mountain. We need you to call the Fenig Elves to help us should we have need to fight our way inside."

The prince closed his eyes and furrowed his brow. "I'll try."

Sir Walter's heart broke as he watched the prince wince in pain as he concentrated all of his mental and magical powers on contacting his elfin allies. Finally, with a small sigh, Mulder's head fell to the right as he blacked out once again.

Sir Walter gathered him to his chest, hoping to keep him warm as the thunder rolled and the cold rain fell harder outside their small shelter. "I hope he was able to contact the elves. We have no way of knowing."

"We can only hope he was successful." Frohike said as he pushed himself to his feet. "If they heard him, they'll find us. We need to continue on. Time is wasting."

Skinner gathered his seriously ill prince into his arms, as they all moved to remount and continue on to Thunder Mountain. They had ridden less than a mile when they found themselves surround by short, stout little men all dressed in shades of brown and forest green. Each of the cantankerous-looking little fellows carried a pick or a shovel, and wore a look of fierce determination on his weathered little face.

"Halt! Who are you and what have you done to Prince Fox?" Asked a gnarled little man with dark skin and scowling features.

Mulder weakly lifted his chin from where it had fallen down to rest on his own chest. "It's okay, Kirsch. We need your help."

Kirsch snarled at the young prince. "What sort of trouble did you get yourself into this time? I'd certainly like a few words with the bumbling god who thought to make a screw-up like you a prince in the first place." The little man eyed those who seemed to hold Fox captive. "I suppose you expect us to kill these men for you?"

Mulder chuckled breathlessly. "No, that won't be necessary, Kirsch. Help me down so that we can talk for a while."

Several of the dwarfs surged forward, reaching for the prince, but stopped short at the fierce growl that immediately issued forth from the huge knight who was holding Fox tightly against him. "Move back! I can get him down without your help. No one touches him but me."

The little men eyed their grumpy leader, who finally took a step back, his eyes glued suspiciously to Sir Walter. When they were all dismounted and seated with the dwarfs, Prince Fox began to speak. He was very weak, his eyes still glazed with fever, as he leaned heavily on Sir Walter who sat behind him, supporting his back. But his whispered words were spoken with passion and determination.

"You have long been allies to the House of Mulder, Kirsch, and even though you may not think much of me personally, I must ask for your help. Sir Spender has seized the throne, killing the royal family and their guards."

The prince stopped for a moment to regain control of his battered emotions. He had been given no opportunity to grieve for his lost family and the pain of their loss was a heavy burden in his heart. But he was the heir to the throne and he had a responsibility to his people. He pushed the sorrow deep into the recesses of his mind and turned to continue his plea to the dwarf leader.

"The Sorceress Dana has been taken captive. Without her at my side, I have no hope of regaining my rightful crown and saving Meridiem. I need your help to secure the release of my lady. I know you prize gold above all else but I have none to offer. Perhaps if . . ."

"You're wrong about that, prince."

Mulder looked at him with confusion. "Wrong about what, Kirsch?"

"We prize the realm of Meridiem above all else. We are loyal to the house of Mulder, and have been for hundreds of years. Your grandfather was a wise and good leader. You have yet to prove yourself to us. You are young, reckless, and without logic. You have strange beliefs, and even stranger ways of examining those beliefs. We are miners, simple working men who have toiled in rock and soil of these mountains for generations. We know little of werewolves, vampires and Nuvega invasions. But we are willing to put aside our doubt for now. Myself and my brothers will company you to Thunder Mountain to save our future queen."

"Dana and I are just . . ."

The little dwarf held up a curtailing hand. "Please, don't waste your denials on us. We may be simple folk but we aren't stupid. We are born knowing an untruth when we hear it, even when the teller isn't smart enough to know what is in his own heart."

"I know my heart." Mulder said sadly. "But the king doesn't always get to follow his own desires."

"Don't be a fool, prince, of course you can." Kirsch turned to his fellow dwarfs. "We must hurry back to the mine for our weapons. This foolhardy young prince needs our good right arms. We fight for Meridiem and the House of Mulder!"

Sir Walter watched as the little men disappeared into the forest. He looked around at his companions. "I thought he was supposed to contact the Fenig Elves."

"Looks like it was more of a general distress call." Frohike pointed to a swarm of bright lights now hovering just over Prince Fox's head. "Dana won't be happy when she sees the fairies are stalking him again."

Skinner watched for a few moments, as the intriguing little lights flitted and flirted so closely above them. He finally tore his eyes away from the fairies turning back to face the others. "I suppose we'd better rest while we can."

The weary travelers all found what shelter they could from the relentless rain, while Sir Walter forced more water into his ailing charge.

* * *   
Thunder Mountain   
Keep of the Rain King

The keep sat perched on the side of Thunder Mountain, concealed by dark, hanging tree branches. It was barely visible in the murky light afforded by the deeply overcast sky. Thunder rolled incessantly, almost deafening the band of rescuers ensconced in the thick underbrush. Sir Walter was amazed at the almost impenetrable vegetation that thrived in this wet, sunless climate. He didn't even want to think about what kind of creatures might be slithering in this wet and soggy marsh.

They had left the prince in the care of Lucy and a couple of surly dwarf warriors. He was as dry and well hidden as possible in this wet, dark and forbidding land.

"So do we just go up to the door and ask to see Dana?" Langly asked nervously.

"I go alone." Sir Walter raised his voice to be heard above the rolling thunder, never taking his eyes off the stone keep set high on the wind swept cliff above them.

"Are you crazy?" Frohike gasped. "If we let you do that, the prince will kill us himself!"

"We won't tell him." Skinner turned to lock eyes with the little man.

"You were supposed to be a good influence on the prince, not pick up his bad habits for yourself. I swear that sounded just like something he would say!" Frohike flinched as a great bolt of lightening struck a nearby tree, splintering it into a smoldering heap of ash.

Skinner smiled. "You didn't have to insult me, Frohike."

"I'm serious! You can't go up there alone."

"We'll go," Kirsch groused loudly.

"Why you and not me?" Skinner glowered back at the grumpy dwarf.

"Because I have a plan. The Rain King is a little man with big ambitions for himself. He was nothing but an impoverished woodcutter before the accident."

Skinner raised an eyebrow at the dwarf. "What accident?"

"He was out chopping wood one day when a mighty wizard came swooping down on a great winged beast. The Wizard Hulman didn't see Darrell Moots until it was too late. The ax slipped and Moots lost a leg. When the woodcutter woke, the wizard was gone but he had a wooden peg leg and the ability to make it rain."

"Too bad he didn't get the ability to make it stop at the same time," Frohike muttered, as the rest of The Three shook their soggy heads in total agreement.

* * *   
Keep of the Rain King   
Guard Barracks

The small group of fairies twinkled and glittered as they hovered outside the window of the guard's barracks. The dozen guards sat inside, some listlessly polishing their armor, some merely lying quietly listening to the continual rain.

All wished they could find employment at another castle or keep. Life on Thunder Mountain was little more than one tedious rainy day following another. But all had managed to ruin their lives in one way or another, some with drink, some with wenches and still others with acts of violence. When it came to employment, their choices were limited.

None of them took their job of protecting Darrel Moots with too much seriousness. Woodcutter turned overlord. The man in their opinion, was little more than a lucky imposter. Granted enough magic to make him dangerous, and without the brains to know how to put it to good use. The members of the keep guard didn't even bother to post look-outs anymore. With the rain, it was a miserable business and besides, no one ever came to Thunder Mountain. Why would they want to?

All eyes went to the door as a knock sounded. If it was that idiot Moots again, the guard captain, Sir Peyter thought he just might run the man through and be done with it.

He stalked over and jerked the door open forcefully. "What the hell do you want?" He bellowed into the face of their visitor.

A tall, beautiful brunette in a low-cut, flowing white dress stood seductively, leaning against the open doorway, smiling at him. "Thought you boys might like a little company. My name's Phoebe," she purred in a soft, lilting accent.

"Ph . . .Ph . . .Phoebe?" Sir Peyter stammered, as his fellow guards stood behind him, their mouths agape.

"It's awfully wet out here." Phoebe pouted prettily. "Won't you invite my friends and I in out of the cold?"

The guards, still struck speechless at their perceived good fortune stepped aside to allow the fairies, in their human guise, to enter the barracks.

Phoebe pointed a smooth, elegant hand toward a beautiful, dark-haired woman with huge, blue eyes. "This is Bambi."

"Do any of you boys like bugs?" Bambi inquired as she batted her lashes at them. They all were quick to assure her that they did, indeed, live for bugs.

"And this is Melissa." Phoebe pointed to a pretty woman with long brown hair and full lips.

"Sydney. My name is Sydney, I tell you." Melissa growled in a deep gravely voice.

Phoebe rolled her eyes. "Whatever. And this one," she pointed to a tall, slinky blond, holding a leather riding crop. "She likes us to just call her Detective White. We're not really sure why that is, but we do try to humor her. She can be a little, uh . . . intimidating at times." Several of the men were practically drooling at this splendid news.

Phoebe, Queen of the Fairies, smiled coyly at the group of men standing dazzled and bewildered before her. She loved men. Especially ardent, manly men like these. Well, to be completely honest, she like any man, ardent or not. Any man. All men. She particularly liked men who were well endowed and not too bright. She thought this group might fill the bill exactly.

Too bad about poor Bambi, she did like a good conversation before she got laid. Phoebe didn't see anyone in this crowd who might be capable of a three word sentences let along a discussion of the mating habits of fruit flies. Oh well, Bambi was adaptable. They all were. Oh, and maybe just a little dangerous. She smiled to herself.

And since keeping these men distracted was a special favor for the beautiful Prince Fox, well that just made it all the more enjoyable to seduce these lovely, gullible males. It was so nice to have work you loved.

Phoebe also planned to eventually get her hands on the gorgeous prince himself. Some day when that red-headed she-devil was not around to shoo the fairy queen away. Phoebe frowned a little, she had some vague memory of seducing him once before, a long time ago. It seemed that it had all ended very badly somehow. She sighed as the memory eluded her once more. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't quite get the recollection to solidify in her mind. Oh well, no time for that now, she had work to do. She eyed the eagerly waiting men. "Now which one of your lovely boys wants to be first?"

* * *   
Keep of the Rain King   
Great Hall

"Tell him we've been sent by the king." The two little dwarfs elbowed their way past the older woman who had answered their knock at the keep's door.

"Wait! Wait, you can't just . . .I'll call the guard. I'll . . ."

The two little men didn't even hesitate as they made their way toward the kitchens. "Surely the great Rain King wouldn't want the king's messengers to go hungry."

The woman started to follow them, when another knock sounded. Where were those useless guards? She opened it to find three more of the strange little men standing on the stoop. The two wasted little time in finding the kitchens.

All in all, she admitted twenty-five of the dwarfs before she had a moment free to inform the lord of the keep that he had visitors. And she also planned to go personally awaken those lazy guards.

Darrell Moots limped down to his kitchens. He stopped short in the doorway at the sight that met his eyes. His kitchens were full of small, gnarled men and all were eating his food and drinking his wine. And from the looks of it, breaking his platters!

"What's the meaning of this?" Darrell yelled to be heard over the boisterous bickering and general grousing of his uninvited and obviously ravenous guests.

Kirsch turned an appraising eye to Darrell Moots. "The king sent us with a message for you. Four men will arrive at your door, sent from the great and heralded wizard Hulman. They shall be here within one day. We have been commanded to wait here for them."

Darrell looked around at his destroyed kitchen. "Couldn't you wait in the stables or maybe the guard's barracks? If they continue eating my food and drinking my wine in this manner, there'll be nothing left by the time these supposed royal messengers get here."

"Surely, you don't expect us to sit around with our stomachs empty and our throats full of cotton. Wizard Hulman would not be pleased were I to tell him you didn't show us your upmost hospitality."

"Wh . . .why does the king send these messengers anyway? Wh . . .what does the wizard want from me?"

"How would I know, man?" Kirsch grumped. "Something to do with granting you the power to make the sun come out or some such nonsense. I don't hold with magic myself."

"Wizard Hulman's going to grant me additional power?" Darrell brightened considerably. Darrell suddenly noticed a dwarf with a long white beard dipping into a pot on the stove. "No! No, don't eat that. That's my dinner."

The little man smiled up at him toothlessly. "Was your dinner, son, all gone now. Better get your cook busy or we'll all starve. Got any more wine around here? And some nice, fresh bread would be good, too."

"I . . . I . . ." Darrell looked down to see all twenty-five of the dwarfs watching him silently. He swallowed hard. "Yes. Yes, of course. More wine, right away and . . .and I'll send the cook right in. Just. . . just make yourselves at home."

"Oh, we will." Kirsch assured him with an evil smile. "We most certainly will."

* * *   
Keep of the Rain King   
Late that Same Night

"He says he'll see you. I don't approve, but he says he'll see you anyway. Those dwarfs you sent have eaten us out of house and home. And what they haven't eaten, they've broken with their scuffles and outright fights. You'd best get them out of here before we don't have a trencher to eat from or a bench to sit on." The older woman shook her head as she left the knight to wait for the Rain King. "And get those hussies out of the guard barracks while you're about it."

Dana sat quietly in a chair at the front of the great hall. She kept her head down, her only acknowledgment of the knight and The Three had been a very slight nod of her head.

After several minutes Sir Walter heard a steady thump, thump, thump, growing louder as it drew nearer to the great hall. As Skinner turned toward the entrance he was surprised to see a nondescript man, leaning heavily on a cane and limping badly. The tip of a wooden peg-leg shown beneath his leggings.

"You come bearing a message from the Wizard Hulman?" The Rain King got right to the heart of the matter. He was most anxious to be rid of the troop of dwarfs who were once again plundering his lauders and cellars.

"Yes, your majesty." He watched Moots preen at the use of such a grand title. "The great wizard feels you are now ready for more power."

"More power? Really? He thinks I'm ready?"

"Oh yes, my lord, he feels that you are more than ready. He also knows that one of your considerable wisdom will be more than happy to pay the small homage necessary to receive this great and wonderful power."

"Small homage?"

Skinner shook his hand in a dismissing manner. "It's nothing really. Just   
a small tribute to show your good faith. Nothing significant, just a little something for someone he wishes to repay for a past favor given."

Darrell thought for a moment, then a look of horror crossed his face. "He doesn't expect me to let those dwarfs stay here any longer, does he? They've done nothing but eat like a pack of starving dogs and continuously insult me. I really don't think it would be worth any . . ."

"Oh no. No, of course not. They must go with us when we leave with the Sorceress Dana."

The Rain King looked stunned for a moment, and then the light of understanding finally dawned in his eyes. "No. Not my Dana. I can't allow her to leave here. I need her."

Skinner looked at Darrell with surprise. "Oh, I see. The wizard had no idea that you had become so attached to the sorceress. He thought her to be merely a burdensome captive. You do have her feet bound in Casaba Flowers to stop her from using her power. The wizard just assumed you were holding her for someone else. This is quite a dilemma. We'll just have to all stay here until I can get word to the Wizard Hulman. And, since he is visiting the outer reaches of Pelema right now, it will probably take several weeks for us to get word to him. And several more weeks, I suppose, before he can get a message back. You do have enough food and wine on hand, don't you, your majesty? Dwarfs are creatures of enormous appetites."

"En . . .enough wine? Are the dwarfs staying here with you?"

"Of course. They go where we go."

"I see." Darrell glanced over at the beautiful sorceress longingly, just as a thunderous crash and angry shouts sounded from the back of the keep. "Take her! Go! Get her out of here and take those horrendous dwarfs with you. And tell the Wizard Hulman that I am most grateful for this opportunity. I won't let him down. I'll use my new powers wisely, as always."

"Yes." Skinner nodded. "We are all well aware of just how wise you are, your majesty."

* * *   
Foothills of Thunder Mountain   
A Small Cave

The sorceress, Dana Scully, pushed back her wet hood to reveal long, damp tresses of bright, red hair. She knelt and gently laid her hands on the chest of the unconscious prince resting so quietly on the cold ground.

"Oh Alainn, what have they done to you?"

Skinner felt despondent. He wanted to take Fox and Dana and get as far away from this wet, miserable place as possible. The thunder continued to reverberate off the mountains, increasing in volume as it reached the ears of the small band watching closely as their future king lay dying.

"Will he be all right, Dana?" Sir Walter asked, his voice heavy with grief and concern.

She smiled up at the big knight and he felt as if the sun had finally come out in this God forsaken land of wind and rain.

Dana turned back to her love and closed her eyes, her hands spread out on Prince Fox's chest. All was silent except the sounds of the never ceasing inclement weather outside their small shelter.

After several long, tense moments, the prince opened his eyes and smiled up at the woman who knelt beside him.

"I thought I'd never see you again." The prince's voice still weak and fragile sounding.

"I see you managed to get yourself in trouble the moment I wasn't looking." She smiled down at him affectionately. "I can't leave you alone for a minute."

"I don't want you to."

"I won't, Alainn." She brushed a soft kiss across his lips. "I'll never leave you. You know you can always count on that."

Suddenly the ground began to shake and the earth tremble. Small stones and dust fell onto the floor of the cave, causing everyone to run for cover. Dana threw her own body over that of the prince to protect him falling debris.

"Now what?" Skinner bellowed as he unsteadily made his way to the outside, only to be confronted by three huffing and puffing dragons.

"We heard the general distress call but we had to force Bruce out of the cave, he's still afraid of the prince. And Lenny thought the message said to come to the Rayfling instead of Rain King, which is entirely on the other side of the realm." Clyde Bruckman stopped to draw in a deep breath. "So then, by the time we got back on the right road, it had started to rain and Bruce got his foot stuck in a bog and . . . oh never mind all that. The Bigfoot and the Vampires are right behind us. Oh, and those three werewolf brothers. They made us go on ahead, said we were throwing up too much mud and getting their fur all matted. Rude, vain creatures if you ask me. Bunch of chicken thieves is all they are. Hey, is the prince all right? He's never before sent out a general call for help like that, and it was so weak. Is he sick or what?"

"I think he's all right now. Dana healed him, so . . ." Sir Walter was interrupted by the rattling of brush close by. He quickly pulled his sword to face this new threat.

Max Fenig stepped out of the brush, followed by at least a hundred of the Fenig elves. All looked travel weary and very distressed.

"Where's Prince Fox?" Max approached the knight nervously. "We heard his call but we were away from our village, talking to some more Nuvega abductees. Is he all right?" Max eyed the dwarfs with distaste. "He . ..he doesn't need us to defend him against this bunch of rabble, does he?"

"Who you callin' rabble, you piece of elfin trash." Kirsch spat back, his usual frown turning to an unkind smirk. "Seen any little gray men lately, Max?"

"Enough." Skinner thought to defuse the situation. "They helped us rescue Dana. They're on our side, Max."

Max looked skeptical. "Well, maybe but it's always hard to tell just who's side Kirsch and his band are on at any given time." Max smiled up at Sir Walter. "Of course, there have been times when I thought the same thing about you."

* * *   
Cave of The Three   
War Room   
Two Weeks Later

Sir Walter watched as Prince Fox stood bent over a table, heavily laden with maps and graphs. He was in a serious discussion with Byers and Commander Raubone of the Bigfoot. They were arguing over where the next attack by the Nuvega was likely to occur. Sir Walter would put his money on Fox. The boy had an uncanny knack for figuring out what the enemy was planning, and what their next move would be. Maybe even before they knew themselves.

The prince's wild, uncontrolled message of distress to his subjects, while he lay ill, had provided a catalyst for The Bigfoot to break free of the mind control they had been subjected to as prisoners of the Nuvega. They were now a tremendous source of intelligence about the enemy.

According to Commander Raubone, the Nuvega possessed the ability to shape change, instantly transforming themselves into the likeness of any other living creature. It was an extremely disturbing thought, and Prince Fox was determined to find a means to identify any imposters hiding in his ranks.

The prince had been very careful not to discuss his plan anywhere around Sir Walter. That in itself was a dead giveaway. What ever idea the devious little prince had come up with, to uncover the intruders, would be a dangerous one. Probably only to the prince, himself. Well, Skinner thought, they would just see about that.

"Fox, could I have a few minutes of your time, please."

The prince turned to look at his knight protector. "Of course, sir." He turned to the bigfoot beside him. "If you would excuse me, Commander Raubone, we'll continue our discussion after lunch."

The seven-foot tall, shaggy haired bigfoot bowed slightly and went to join his squad in the dining hall.

Skinner took the prince's arm and began to gently propel him back toward the tunnel that led to their sleeping quarters. "You need to lie down for a while."

"No I don't," Mulder protested. "It's been almost two weeks since Dana healed me, and I haven't felt a twinge of discomfort. I'm fine and I have a lot of work to do this afternoon."

"When Dana left to gather support among the sorceress coven of Deliana, she made me promise that I would make sure you ate and slept. From what I can see, you haven't been doing either. Every night so far, I'm already asleep long before you join me in our chamber, and you never seem to have time to stop for meal call. This can't continue, brat."

"But I have so much to do today. My people need me. The Bigfoot claim there are fleas in their barracks, and even though I suspect they brought them in themselves, it still has to be fumigated before they spread. And Dana is complaining that the Vampires are stealing her blood supply. She is really ticked. Although that seems like a much better solution to their need for plasma than the other obvious alternative. And the Petit Brothers got into the carrier pigeon cage again, and now Master Harper is ready to shoot them on sight. I just can't seem to make him understand that it isn't their fault that they were turned into werewolves. And very valuable werewolves, I might add, their tracking skills are superb. So as you can plainly see, I don't have time to take a nap."

"Your people need you well and healthy. They need a king with enough strength left to heal Meridiem's wounds after this is all over."

Skinner made his way to the very back of the cave. He had managed to secure the most private of sleeping chambers for himself, Dana and the prince. He opened the heavy wooden portal and deposited the prince in a sitting position on the edge of the bed.

"Now before you take a much needed nap. "He raised his hand as Mulder opened his mouth to protest. "Not one word, peasant boy, only a couple of hours of rest. Meridiem won't fall in that short a time. Now tell me of your plans to find any Nuvega who might have infiltrated our ranks."

"Plan?" Mulder looked at him with wide innocent eyes. "What makes you think I have any such plan?"

Skinner placed his hands on his hips. "Fine, we can do this the hard way. It really doesn't matter to me. Stand up and take off your boots and leggings."

Sir Walter seated himself on a sturdy, low bench while the prince sat glued to the bed, his mouth agape. "You can't be serious."

"You said yourself that you were well healed now. I haven't given you a spanking in weeks and I can tell it's well past time. Now, get over here and across my knees. Or would you rather we go out to the war room to do this. I'm sure one of your loyal subjects would be more than willing to divulge your wild-ass plan once they see you crying and squirming over my knee, that pretty bottom turning a bright red for everyone to see."

"But we're at war! And . . .and I'm in charge of the armies!"

"And I'm still in charge of you. A good sore bottom will help you remember that a king's place is not in the front lines like some ill-trained walking soldier. You have exactly three seconds to get over here or this becomes a public reminder to everyone that you are not to endanger your life, and it is their duty to report to me if you try."

"You wouldn't!"

"Really? You may be the true king to those people out there, but to me you're just a reckless little peasant boy who needs a hot bottom every so often to keep him in line. Now do you obey me or not?"

Mulder toed off his boots, pulled his leggings off and stomped over to where Sir Walter sat. He then practically threw himself over the big man's muscular thighs.

Skinner flipped up the back of Fox's tunic, watching as the cool air of the large cavern made goose flesh rise on the smooth, bared bottom. The knight brought his hand down sharply, gratified when his first smack earned   
a surprised yelp from his errant prince.

"What is this discipline for, peasant boy?"

"Ouch! You want to know my plans to find the Nuvega spies."

"Yes, I do but that can wait until later." Skinner peppered down a half dozen stinging slaps on the upturned butt over his knees. "Right now we have some other things to discuss, like the fact that you intentionally antagonized your captors while being held at the palace."

"Ouch! Ah-h-hh-! How did you know that?' Mulder looked up over his shoulder at his chastiser, only to quickly look away when he caught sight of his own bare, rapidly reddening backside raised high in the air and perfectly positioned for a good, long tanning.

"Royce told me." Skinner was smacking in sets of three on one spot and covering every inch of exposed skin. Fox, for his part, was in charge of wiggling his smarting bottom and frantically kicking his legs.

"Royce ratted me out? Ouch-h-h-h! Please, stop!"

"He didn't want to, but poor Royce is more afraid of me than he is of you. Don't underestimate my abilities to intimidate others, peasant boy. He knew if he didn't tell me what I wanted to know, it might well be him over my knees instead of you."

"He's just a little boy. You wouldn't really punish him, would you? Ah-h-h-h!" Mulder gasped.

Sir Walter's slapping hand had not missed a beat during this discussion and the prince's once white bottom was now a burning scarlet from hip to thigh.

"No, but he doesn't know that. Now back to the matter at hand, I'm not especially happy to hear that you defied your captors, and egged them on to hurt you."

"What was I supposed to do? Just take whatever they wanted to dish out like some . . .some helpless damsel? Ouch! Oh! Oh!"

"Yes, that is exactly what you were supposed to do, wait for me to rescue you. That's my job, you little shit, why can't you get that through that thick head of yours. I guess I have to put it across your not so thick butt first, huh?"

"Ah-h-h-h-h! Please! Ouch! Uh-h-h! Uh!"

"Royce also told me that you could have remained hidden with me but choose to go back into the fray to protect me."

I . . .uh. . ."

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Skinner proceeded to make doubly certain that the future king would not be sitting comfortable any time soon, covering the same ground over and over in stinging slaps of three. When he finally stopped, the prince's bottom was glowing like it had been set ablaze, and he was sobbing his heart out across his teacher's knees.

Sir Walter lifted the now repentant young man into his arms, and lay him on his stomach on the bed. He pulled the rest of the prince's disheveled clothing from his body until he was completely naked, and then quickly shed his own uniform. He pulled Mulder's hips back and placed two large pillows under the Prince Fox's hips, raising his well-punished bottom prominently, turned up to the ceiling, begging for some additional attention. He then lay himself down beside that bare, nicely displayed and totally accessible quivering bottom.

Skinner ran a line of light feathery kisses down the prince's spine, loving the way it made the beautiful young man shiver in his arms. When he reached the sore, red bottom he gently blew his breath on the scalded skin. Even that light touch eliciting a hiss from Fox. He reached out and gently licked a patch of hot flesh.

"Now that I have your attention. I do have your attention, don't I, peasant boy?"

"Yes, sir," Mulder replied warily. He felt very vulnerable with his sore, red bottom still turned up to his disciplinarian.

A gentle hand caressed his right bottom cheek, followed by another wet lick of Skinner's tongue. "Good. Now tell me your plan to find the spies."

"Oh-h-h-h-h No-o-o-o!" Mulder groaned as he buried his head in his pillow.

Skinner poured some rich, aromatic oil into his hand. He then began to massage the prince in long smooth strokes starting at his shoulders and ending halfway down his thighs.

That hot, wed tongue racked across his sore bottom once more and then he felt Sir Walter's slick, cool fingers follow the same path his tongue had just blazed. Just barely touching his over-sensitized skin but still sending shivers through his inflamed nerve endings.

"Oh that feels so good."

"It's supposed to, peasant boy?" Skinner continued deeply massage and kiss the beautiful body in front of him. His oiled fingers slipped down to gently cup and then caress Fox's throbbing erection. The prince groaned with pleasure.

"Oh-h-h-h, please. I'll tell you anything, just please don't stop."

"All right, tell me what you're up to with the spy hunt?"

Mulder closed his eyes. This was not going to be pretty. "Could I roll over so I can talk to you face to face?"

"No. Now spill this ill-conceived plan of yours." Skinner's slick hot fingers continued to tease and titillate the smooth skin of the prince's buttocks, thighs and groin.

Mulder drew in a deep breath, he was finding it hard to concentrate enough to piece a complete sentence together. He wanted Sir Walter to just leave him to enjoy this sensuous experience in peace. One the man heard his plan, there would be no more peace to be had. He would be extremely lucky if he made it out of this room with one inch of skin still left on his butt. "I planned to make an inspection of all of the armies. I figured that any imposters would not be able to pass up the chance to take a shot at the future king." He spat this revelation out all in one breath and then scrunched up his face waiting for the inevitable blow to fall on his poor butt.

Mulder's eyes popped open as he felt a large blunt finger, slick with oil, sliding into his small back opening instead. He gasped with shock. This was not what he had expected. The prince groaned with arousal as another finger joined the first. Soon he was wiggling, and whining and begging Sir Walter to keep going.

When the knight's large erection slid slowly into him, Mulder was sure he was going to die of the intense ecstasy of what was happening to him.

When Sir Walter was penetrated to the root, he began to slowly rock his hips. "Tell me, peasant boy, how did you plan to keep the spy from killing you with that shot?"

"Huh?" Mulder could no longer form a coherent thought, let along answer questions about his spy plan.

Sir Walter thrust deeply into the body impaled on his large cock. "Pay attention. How were you planning to protect yourself during this inspection of the armies?"

"Oh! I . . .I, uh. Oh yes, do that again. Oh, please! It feels so good!"

"How were you going to stay alive? Answer me!"

"I hadn't wor . . .worked that part out yet! Yes, oh yes. Faster, please faster!"

"That's what I thought." Skinner reached around and placed one large, oiled hand on Mulder's straining shaft, pumping it hard and fast. The prince lasted only a few moments before he came screaming Sir Walter's name.

The knight rolled off the beautiful, if exasperating, young man and allowed him a few moments to come back to himself, sated and smiling. Skinner rose from the bed to get a wet cloth, cleaning the prince and himself of the telltale signs of their lovemaking.

He then walked over to the wardrobe and retrieved his sturdy leather strap. He stood by the bed, looking down at his intended target, and then let the strap fly down to leave a throbbing welt on the still reddened bottom.

Mulder's head flew up off the bed with a shriek of surprise.

"What is this strapping for, peasant boy?"

"Ou-u-uch! My . . .my plan?"

"Good guess, brat." Skinner let the strap fly again. Another bright burning stripe, standing out hot and bright against the lighter pink background.

"Ouch! Ah-h-h-h! Oh please. I have a joint meeting of all the generals in two . . .Oh! . . .two days. I have to be able . . . Ouch! . . .to sit down then. Ah! Ouch-h-h-h-h!"

"Oh, you'll sit down, peasant boy, it will just feel like hell while you do it. And peasant boy . . ."

"Yes, sir?"

"There will be no inspection of the armies."

"Yes, sir."

The End Part 7 

 

* * *

 

Knight Time in the Realm - Part 8  
By: DiAnn  
  
Rating: NC17 - SLASH/ language/ mild violence  
Category: AU / Fantasy / BDSM / m/m Slash  
Warning: Mulder-Skinner Slash/ Sk/Sc/M.  
If you don't like this kind of thing, or you are underage, go somewhere else . . . Please! I don't want to hear from you and I don't want to hear from your Mama.  
Spoiler: Through Season 6.  
Summary: Alternate Universe - Kings and palaces and handsome soldiers for hire.  
Disclaimer: I do not, nor ever will, own Mulder, Scully, Skinner, Krycek or anyone else from the X-Files. I am borrowing them without permission and am obviously not receiving money for this stuff. We all know who they really belong to, CC, Fox and lots of other people but again, not me.  
Special thanks to Nicole who corrects my commas and consistently tells me that I have not gone too far with the smut, she wants more. And she wants it now!  
DiAnn's Page can be found at Mulder Torture Anonymous: [archivist's note: website address given by author is no longer valid]

* * *

Knight Time in the Realm - Part 8  
By: DiAnn

Enorus Mountains  
Resistance Headquarters

"WHERE . . .IS . . .HE?" Sir Walter hissed through gritted teeth at the quaking little elf who stood in front of him.

Max found it necessary to hold on to a table just to keep his knees steady. "Uh, well you see . . .he, uh . . .as I started to say, he went to the palace to retrieve the map to the Pentagorian Caves and, uh . . ."

"You knew about this?" The knight snarled at The Three, who were standing what they hoped was a safe distance away, watching him warily.

Byers cleared his throat nervously. "Alex Krycek arrived shortly after you retired to your chambers. He met with the prince for quite some time. Then they just announced that they was going to the palace to retrieve some secret maps from the palace library."

Sir Walter began pacing frantically around the war-room. "And you didn't feel that this development warranted awakening me?"

"Prince Fox wouldn't let us. He said you needed your rest. He reminded us, most empathically, that he was our prince and that our loyalty should . . ."

"That's it! This time, when I find him, I'm going to kill him myself. I just can't . . ."

He stopped short as Kersch and three other savage little dwarfs immediately raised their spears, the razor sharp ends pointed at his heart.

"I may not think much of that useless prince," Kersch growled. "But he'll not be dying from your unworthy hand."

Langly quickly stepped between the knight and the dwarfs. "They aren't known for their sense of humor, Sir Walter." He carefully turned to the ferocious, little dwarf warriors. "It was just a figure of speech, guys. He wouldn't really kill the prince."

"Oh yes I would!"

"Sir Walter," Langly begged. "They don't do jokes, dude. Dwarfs are, well to be honest, blunt and tactless. In their mind, you are threatening the life of the sole surviving member of their ruling house, and even though they don't much like or respect Prince Fox, to them, treason is punishable by death."

Frohike stalked over to the group. "Put the spears away, boys. We have plenty of enemies to fight, we don't need to attack each other. Sir Walter won't really kill the prince but I wouldn't want to be in the little punk ass's shoes when we get him back." The dwarfs lowered their weapons, looking absolutely gleeful at the thought of the big knight getting his hands on the wayward prince, now that it was only his backside in danger and not his life.

Frohike turned to the still furious and worried knight. "When do we leave?"

"Leave for where?" Said a soft, melodious voice from behind them. Dana dressed in leather leggings and a soiled tunic, and looked exhausted. She had been gone for over a week organizing the Fenig Elves into a medical unit.

"Dana!" Sir Walter's had never been happier to see anyone in his life. "Fox has gone to the palace for some kind of maps or something. I took a nap, Dana. I was just so worn down. The battle at Bregan North lasted for days. We were all beyond exhaustion so I just laid down for a moment. I thought he would sleep, too. But as soon as my back was turned, he . . .he ditched me!"

"Of course he did. It's what he does best, after all. There's a reason he carries the name Fox' from lifetime to lifetime. I don't think I've every seen anyone so wily as our prince. Believe me, it isn't the first time he's slipped our watch, and probably won't be the last. And it most certainly wasn't your fault, Sliabh."

Dana turned to address The Three. "We need to be ready to leave for the palace at first moon rise."

She turned once more to Sir Walter, her eyes asking quite clearly if he concurred with her plan.

"Yes, I agree." Skinner nodded his head. "And we need to keep the invading group small, only Frohike should go with us." He took a deep breath and forged on with his next words. "And I think we should take the fairies, Dana."

"I would rather not . . ."

"Now Dana, you know they are the perfect distraction in a group of men."

"Distraction is a nicer word than I would have used." Dana answered in pinch-lipped disapproval. "Oh, all right! But you keep them out of trouble and away from the prince!" Dana spared one warning glare for the gleefully twinkling fairies, then stomped off to prepare for their mission.

"Uh . . .excuse me if I might, uh, have a word." They all turned to Max Fenig who was practically dancing with nervousness. "I really feel, that is, I think it would only be fair . . . what I mean is, I should go with you."

"Not this time, Max." Skinner said gently. "I know you want to help the prince but he would be very upset if we endangered too many lives. And besides, the smaller the rescue party, the better the chance of not being seen."

"But, uh, I'm an elfin warrior, and . . ."

"No, Max, and that's my final decision." Sir Walter and Dana turned and walked from the war room, leaving an extremely dismal little elf looking after them.

* * *   
Private Chambers   
Resistance Headquarters

The sorceress Dana was also feeling the exhaustion of the war that had raged endlessly for the past two months. Everyone had chosen a side. To their credit, most realm subjects stood firmly behind their birth king, Prince Fox. But Sir Spender had brought reinforcements from outside the realm. Ghouls, gargoyles, and a wide array of sinister, ruthless knights, both human and non-human. It was a fight to the death and many of the innocent subjects of the kingdom were suffering immense pain and loss. Dana was one of few who knew exactly how much that situation was effecting the prince.

She also knew how much it distressed Sir Walter that Prince Fox would not sit safely in their heavily guarded headquarters, and let others do his fighting for him. The prince was a warrior, and would ask nothing of his people that he would not do himself. It scared Sir Walter beyond reason.

Dana glanced over at the knight protector. He was pacing again, his pack ready and lying by the door in anticipation of the time to leave for the palace. "Dana, I don't understand, what is so important that Fox would risk his life by going back to that palace?"

Dana sighed heavily. "It's a long story. Sit down, Sliabh, we have a short wait before we can leave, and it's time I told you more of the story."

Skinner abruptly stopped his pacing to stare at her. "What story?"

"It's the story of what happened in the Before Time."

"The Before Time? Before the Great Centurian Wars? What does that have to do with anything. That was well over a thousand years ago."

"So it was but sometimes I can remember it so plainly, as if it all happened only yesterday." The knight seated himself on the edge of a bench, while Dana sat across from him. "Sir Walter, you are of course familiar with the Holy Scroll?"

"Yes. It's the one true record of our history. The principals on which all of our beliefs are based. It's guarded by the DisColm Blessed Order of Warrior Monks. They are vowed to die to protect the Holy Scrolls."

"Yes, that's right. Then you know the story of the Before Time?"

"Yes, the world had become evil, and it was destroyed so that it might start over with only God's pure of heart to populate the land."

Dana smiled at him sadly. "A simplified version but yes that's the story. In that Before Time . . ."

"Dana! Are you trying to tell me that you were alive then? You were alive during the Great Centurian War?"

"Yes, I was there, Sliabh, and it was much more terrible than you can imagine. So many died, almost everyone really. We drove the Nuvega out of our lands but it was already too late."

"The Nuvega! What did they have to do with this?"

"It was the Nuvega that we fought in the war. It was never mentioned in the Holy Scrolls to protect the people from the horror of the truth, or so it was said. The Elder Fathers were afraid that if future generations knew it was the mythical Nuvega who had invaded our lands, they would be too frightened to go on with life and rebuild our devastated world."

"If we won, why are the Nuvega still here?'

"Their armies were defeated but a few were left, deep in hidden underground caves to repopulate their own species. Fox has always been fascinated by tales of the Nuvega invasions, he has collected maps that tell of a cave where the only weapons that will effectively kill a Nuvega are stored."

"That's a little far fetched, Dana. Do you believe there's such a cave, and such a cache of magical weapons?"

"It's possible. I saw a Nuvega dagger once. They were very rare. If we would have had those weapons in the Before Time, we might have saved more of our people. We might have saved you."

Sir Walter stared into her soft, liquid eyes, understanding dawning in his befuddled mind. "I'm so sorry, Dana. That must have been a very difficult time for you."

"Yes, it was. It was the first time I had to watch you both die. Fox stayed with me for years after the war ended. He died in my arms, an old man, but you were killed before the Nuvega were driven back to their homeland. Then, many years later, you were both reborn. You can't imagine how happy and relieved I was to see you again. You see, I didn't know back then that you would keep coming back to me. It isn't so hard to let you go now."

"What was the Before Time like Dana?"

"Much as the Holy Scroll says. The people of the realm had turned to evil. They had let greed and hatred become the driving focus of their lives. Men killed each other without reason or remorse, sometimes for nothing more than a few gold coins, sometimes just for sport. They stole from those who trusted them and bragged of it to each other as they drank their wine. The old religion of love was thrown out as men worshiped the power of their own minds and the gold that filled their pockets. Some tried to stop what was happening, to uphold the laws that had been laid down by the elders. You and Fox and I were among that group, warriors even then. But those who were corrupt began to far outnumber those who would resist. The people thought of nothing but themselves. They refused to believe what the prophets foretold. Eventually, they were destroyed for their selfishness and their arrogance."

"Did . . .did you know The Great Prophet, Dana? Did he really exist? Did you ever meet him?"

Dana smiled sadly. "Yes, I did. He was a very wise man who lived a hard and lonely life."

"And your family? What of your mother?"

"She died in the war. She was a powerful sorceress, so kind and loving, but she wasn't immortal. I held her as she died. You and the prince were with me, we all cried for hours after she was gone. I keep hoping I'll see her again someday. That she'll be reborn to me as you and Fox are, but it's never happened. I miss her still, she was a good woman."

"She would have had to be to raise someone as wonderful as you."

Dana stood, then bent to kiss him softly on the lips. "You and Fox are my family now. I guess you always were, really. There is much more to my story but now it's time for us to go get our errant prince back. I'm sure you have a few words you wish to share with him about this little escapade."

"Oh, yeah."

* * *   
Royal Palace   
Dungeon

"Fox," Krycek hissed, "what the hell do you think you're doing?"

Mulder continued to pry at the heavy, rusty locks on the cell doors. "I'm freeing these royal guards. What does it look like I'm doing?"

Krycek ran an exasperated hand over his face and looked at the dirty, bedraggled prisoners. "There must be fifty men in here. How are we going to sneak fifty men out of the palace? And they don't even look capable of lifting a sword in their own defense right now."

"We can't just leave them here."

"That's what you said about this asshole." Krycek glanced back at the deformed little hunchback standing quietly behind him. "And he smells bad too."

Jeffery glared at Alex. "So would you, Krycek, if you'd had to live down here all your life like I have. My father couldn't stand to look at me, and he gave my mother to the Nuvega as soon as I was born. I wasn't fortunate enough to have a prince adopt me, and keep me in his chambers until I was old enough to put the moves on him, and get myself kicked out."

"You know, Spender, I really get tired of you always whining about how your old man let you down. That's quite a chip you carry around on your shoulder, not that anyone could tell that you have one."

"I don't like hunchback jokes, Krycek!"

"Well I don't like hunchbacks, Spender."

Fox sighed in exasperation. "Will you two just cut it out. Jeffery, if I had known you were down here, I would have done something about it. As for you, Alex . . ." He was interrupted by the an anguished cry coming from a cell further down the passageway.

"Fo-o-o-ox?"

The lock Mulder had been working on popped loose in his hand as the captured members of the once elite royal guard scrambled over each other to gain their freedom. As Krycek tried to bring some order to the disheveled and boisterous group, Mulder went in search of the owner of the voice calling his name so pitifully.

"Lady Diana?"

"Oh please, Fox, you have to get me out of here. They . . .they've hurt me. Done . . .despicable things to me. Disgusting . . .sexual things. Sir Spender let. . . let his dark army ha. . .have me. They took my body, Fox, over and over again. I . . .I'm ruined." She buried her face in her hands and sobbed forlornly, watching the prince's reaction through her fingers.

When the prince did not rush to open her cell door, Diana rose from her cowering position on the floor, dropping the arm that was holding her bodice together, allowing her bared breast to be fully exposed through the torn and filthy remnants of her once rich and luxurious gown.

"Oh Fox, it was so . . .so . . .horrible. I feel so dirty!" She broke into dainty sobs, batting her lashes furiously at the stunned prince.

Krycek snorted from behind the prince. "Why would you feel dirty, Diana? It's not like you haven't brought an entire army to its back before. I remember that one night in the royal navy's barracks, you . . ."

"How dare you!"

"Leave her!" Alex started to walk away, his hand tugging on the prince's arm.

"I can't do that, Alex. I can't just leave her here."

"You bring her back with us, and not only will it give her yet another opportunity to betray you but that little red-headed witch-woman of your's will take a piece out of your ass."

Mulder winced. It was true, Dana Scully would not be happy to see Diana again. And an unhappy Dana was a force to be reckoned with.

"She goes." Fox began frantically working on the lock that secured the Lady Diana in her dungeon cell.

"You know, I think there's a couple of scullery maids and a mule wrangler that you haven't freed yet, Fox."

"Shut up, Alex. You have to convince everyone to stay down here and wait for us while we get the maps. They're going to want to leave as quickly as possible but I can't go without those maps."

"Just how in the hell am I supposed to convince, let me see, what is it now," Alex made a great show of counting heads. "Fifty-four, fifty-five. Ah yes, that would be fifty-seven people, quiet and patient while we go get your precious maps?"

Fox looked pensively around at his growing number of refugees.

"And just how," Alex continued on his roll. "Are we going to get this horde out of the palace, and back to the safety of the caves? Even the most negligent guard would notice this ragtag mob stumbling across the courtyard."

"I'll distract Sir Spender and his guard. While I have their attention, you make your escape through the southern moat gate. The guards shy away from that one, it's too close to the sewers."

"Yeah, Fox, that's a great idea! I can see it now, I take this crowd back to headquarters and say, Hey Sir Walter, how's it hangin', pal? By the way, you royally appointed, mean-assed, over-protective son-of-a-bitch, I freed this bunch of rif-raf from the palace dungeon, and all I had to do was trade one measly little prince for the whole lot. Hell of a deal, huh?' Tell me, your royal shit-head, do you think he will run me through a couple of dozen times real slowly or just opt for one quick jab to the heart?"

"He's not that bad, Alex."

"No, you're right Fox, he isn't that bad. He's worse! Now come up with another plan."

"Better listen to him, peasant boy." All eyes turned to the big angry-looking knight, and the equally furious red head at his side. Frohike just stood behind them, staring sympathetically at the prince.

"And the crowd just keeps growing and growing." Krycek groaned.

Dana batted at the twinkling fairies as they started to flit over toward the prince. There was an audible sigh from the newly freed royal guard as the fairies manifested into their human form.

"Cut it out, Dana," Phoebe snarled. "We were just going to say hello."

"Great," Krycek injected. "That makes a grand total of sixty-two. We might as well try to march a troupe of juggling, court jesters out of here."

"Uh, you can make that sixty-three, uh, I think." Now all eyes turned to Max Fenig who had come silently up behind the unruly assemblage.

"I told you to stay back at the caves!" Skinner roared.

The little elf cringed, speechless.

Krycek laughed mirthlessly. "What the hell! The more the merrier, I say. Just what . . ."

"Hey, if you're leaving this place, we want to go with you," A contemptuous voice came from another dark cell.

"Of course you do." Krycek grumbled as he went to inspect the owner of the voice. "And just who the hell would you be?"

Two men stood in the tiny cell. One stood well over six feet tall, all but naked and tattooed from bald head to bare foot in blue puzzle pieces. He looked up briefly and then turned his attention back to the small, bloody carcass he was chewing on with unbridled relish.

"He's the Conundrum." The owner of the voice was busy pulling sharp iron spikes out of his nose.

"What in the Great's Prophet's name is he eating?" Krycek asked, peering through the bars at the blue man's impromptu snack.

"It's a sloth I think. He'll eat just about anything. You should see a big reduction in the rat population down here now."

"He'll eat anything? Even green stuff?" Mulder asked, his own repulsion now very evident.

"Yeah, mustard greens, collard greens, dandelion greens. He'll even eat okra if it isn't over-cooked."

"That's disgusting." The prince said, hastily moving away from the cell. Words to live by - Trust No One- who willingly eats green food.

The man finally managed to dislodge a bloody spike from his left nostril. "Don't try this yourself, I'm a master blockhead. We're part of the traveling circus that came to entertain at the tournament. Most of our troop got away, the Feejee Mermaid got them out the through the moat. But my friend there stopped to eat a fish he caught, and we were captured before he could finish the thing. Now I expect you to take us with you unless your just a little too pretty' prince there, is part of the military merchant complex, and more than willing to leave his subjects to rot in his dungeons."

Fox came over to work his lock-pick magic on the heavy iron door.

"Fox, no. We can't possibly disguise a six foot blue man. You've gotta be kidding. Ye Gads, Fox, this was supposed to be just you and me, get in, get the maps, get out. Quick and clean. If I'd known you wanted to bring back half of Meridiem's defeated army, a ten cent whor. . ."

"Watch it, buddy!" The Lady Diana screeched.

"And two circus freaks," Alex continued sarcastically. "I would have brought a military transport and a couple of royal carriages."

Deep in thought, Fox slowly licked his pouty bottom lip, his pink tongue leaving a moist wet trail in it's wake. The sight made the fairies moan lustily. The prince quickly sucked his tongue back in his mouth, and desperately tried to ignore Dana's jealous scowl. "We, uh, need a plan."

"Well, no shit!" Alex growled as everyone started jabbering again.

"Everyone just pipe down." Sir Walter shouted. "They can probably hear us back at the cave by now." He looked around at the now silent band. "Here's what we're going to do."

* * *   
Realm of Meridiem   
Royal Throne Room

Sir Spender woke with a start. He opened his eyes to the sight of a beautiful, dark haired woman gently running one elegant finger along his cheek.

"Who . . .who are you?" Sir Spender looked around. There was something missing. Something important. His mind seemed so clouded, he just couldn't ascertain what was wrong. "Where is my guard?"

"You needn't worry about them, my lord." Phoebe whispered seductively, drawing his attention back to her. "Detective White is giving a demonstration of the proper use of a Faerie Cock Whip and the importance of a good slip-knot. They're being well entertained at the moment. And besides," she purred. "We wanted you all to ourselves for a while."

Sir Spender shook his head, trying to clear it. There had been someone here when he fallen asleep. Someone who should still be here. The imposter king looked down at the floor at his feet, trying desperately to pull his addled thoughts together. He looked up to see a gorgeous blue-eyed, temptress staring at him intently. Her beautiful, wide eyes filled with innocence.

"Do you like bugs?" Bambi asked hopefully, long sultry lashes fluttering.

"No."

"Oh." Her bottom lip came out in a most beguiling and heart-wrenching little pout.

Sir Spender felt his heart thump in his chest. "I. . .I have a sort of fascination with spiders, I suppose." He offered.

"Oh that's wonderful." She clapped her hands in glee. "I just knew, the minute I saw you, that we had a lot in common. Now tell me, do you like oral sex?"

Now it was Sir Spender's turn to clap his hands with glee. He no longer gave a thought to the prince who should be sitting as his feet, a leash binding him to Sir Walter's hand.

While Sir Spender and his palace guard were being thoroughly distracted, Phoebe and Melissa hurried away to divert the attention of the gate sentries.

Melissa suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, looking around as if suddenly sensing danger.

"What?" Phoebe implored. "What is it? I don't hear anything."

Melissa smiled at her dreamily. "This is the field where I died."

"Will you just put a lid on it." Phoebe huffed, rolling her eyes. "I swear, if I have to listen to that story one more time I'm going to paint you with faerie dust, and leave you for the Mongorian Snap Dogs. I'm telling you one more time, that Dana Witch is not going to let you have the prince, no matter how much of a prior claim you think you might have, addle-brained faerie blight. Now come on, we have men to seduce. And I would suggest that you try it as Melissa and not Sydney this time. I didn't think you'd ever look normal after that black eye you got last time."

"He . . .yeah, yeah . . .don't talk about Melissa, she's a good girl . . . yeah, yeah . . . good girl, he was a narrow minded pig." Sydney complained as she paced in a tight circle.

Phoebe just shook her head in exasperation, and turned to find some new conquests.

* * *   
Royal Palace   
Dungeons

Sir Walter slipped a restraining hand into the back of the Prince's leather belt, effectively halting his overly eager advance into the secret passage that led to the library.

"Hold it, peasant boy." Skinner retained his curtailing hold on the struggling prince as he turned to Krycek. "Alex, you keep everyone down here and quiet until we get back with the maps. If we aren't back in thirty minutes, take these people back to the caves, and organize a rescue team to come get the prince."

"Hey, I'm supposed to be the one going with him to get the maps."

"Look Alex, I appreciate what you did, shooting those arrows at Sir Spender when he tried to rape the prince, but I'm going up there with him."

"What arrows? I didn't shoot any arrows. He tried to rape Fox? I swear, I'll kill that rotten son-of-a-bitch the first chance I get!"

"If you didn't shoot at Spender, who did?"

"How the hell should I know? If I'd gotten that old man in my sights, he'd be dead now."

"We'll have to discuss this later, but right now, I'm going with the prince to get the maps. However, I'll tell you what, when we get back to the cave, he can tell you how much he appreciates all you've done for him on this little trip. Of course, that is if he's still appreciative of you after I get done with him. Come to think of it, I'm really anxious to show you just how much <I> appreciate you dragging Fox back here without telling me."

"You're not touching me, big man." Alex threatened.

"Don't count on it, Alex," Dana hissed from behind him. "I agree with Sir Walter. You need a good lesson in self-restraint when it comes to Prince Fox and I show no hesitation in using my magic to pass out a little much needed discipline. You can ask the prince about that."

The aforementioned prince frowned over his shoulder. "Stop talking about me! I'm right here you know, or have I suddenly become invisible?"

Dana and Skinner's eyes met in astonishment. "Of course," Dana shook her head in self-reproach. "Invisible."

"Can you do it, Dana?" For the first time, Skinner felt there just might be some hope for this foolhardy mission.

"Well not exactly invisible but sort of transparent. I think it might work. But I have to warn you, Sir Walter, once I work the spell you will be in the dead zone. The prince will be fine, being among the dead won't bother him in the least. He'll consider it an adventure of a lifetime. But you . . ."

"I'll manage, Dana. Do it."

Dana raised a hand, her fingertips dancing with blue flame.

Skinner looked around in awe. For one thing his sight was different. Sort of focused and sharp edged, and there were so many people here with them in the narrowly winding secret passage. Many just watched from a distance but several came up to hug and shed tears over the prince. A tall, pompous man stepped up to the prince. He just stood there, looking Fox over from head to toe, one eyebrow rising and falling with amazing speed and dexterity.

Skinner raised his own inquiring brow at the prince as the man gave a disdainful little grunt, then sashayed away.

"That was my Great Uncle Yappi. He could predict the future. Well, nothing he foretold ever actually happened, he claimed it was because I gave off negative energy. Grandfather said it was because he was a charlatan. But I thought he was great, I have him to thank for my interest in the supernatural."

"Yes, I'm sure we're all grateful to him for that little favor. Just try to keep the family reunions down to a minimum, peasant boy, we don't have much time."

The secret door to the library opened easily, and much to Sir Walter's relief, quietly. As soon as Prince Fox stepped through the portal a tall, thin man in brightly striped balloon leggings rushed forward, pressing his mouth firmly on that of the prince.

"Hey!" Sir Walter yelled as he pulled the slender man off Fox as the man tried to feed greedily on the young prince's lips.

"Who are you?" The prince asked as he rubbed a sleeve vigorously over his freshly kissed mouth.

"I was a traveling trinket merchant." The man replied in a soft, melodious voice. "I came to the palace when you were, oh, about eight or nine, I think. Don't you remember, I offered you a toy horse if you would come into the stable with me."

"You put your hand down my leggings!" Fox suddenly recalled, his face flushing bright red.

"Yes, that was me. You were so young and innocent, so sweet. And now here you are again." The man made to move closer to the prince.

Sir Walter stepped in, effectively blocking his way. "Stay away from him!"

The ghost chuckled softly. "What are you going to do? Kill me? I'm afraid King William already took care of that little task. Bastard."

"You tried to molest his son." Sir Walter pointed out.

The spirit leered at the blushing prince. "You have no idea how pretty he was at eight. Of course, he hasn't changed all that much. Come on, little prince, let old John Lee have a little feel for old time sakes."

Fox could only stare at the loathsome man, speechless with shame at the memory of his naive dealings with this man so many years ago.

"Be gone from here, Roche." King Aaron roared as he appeared behind the spirit of the monster who had once driven his seemingly innocent wagon through the gates of the royal castle.

"I just want out of here for a little while. That's all. Just one more look at the outside. You know he can do that for me. He has the gift."

"I said begone." King Aaron eyed him meaningfully. "Or do you want me to tell the hell-hounds where you've been hiding all these years? A little fire and brimstone might do you a world of good, Roche."

"There's no need to get nasty about it." Roche looked meaningfully at the prince. "I'll see <you> later." He then vanished into thin air.

"Grandfather!" Fox threw himself into the ghost's arms. As a child, Fox had loved this man above all others. The prince decided he liked this plain of existence where he could touch his beloved grandfather again. The man's arms felt so wonderful wrapped around him. The prince felt as safe and loved as he did when Sir Walter held him.

"This place isn't for you, Fox, not yet." The ghost held his grandson at arms length for a moment. "You have much to do before we are together again. Besides, Sir Walter gives you all the love and attention you need now."

"But I miss you."

"And I miss you too, Fox. That's why I'm going with you when you leave."

"With me?" Fox asked astonished. "You've always told me that you couldn't leave the castle. That you were trapped her for all eternity."

"Not for all eternity, grandson. Only until some wrongs have been righted. That's why I have to go with you. And the only way I can do that is the way Roche wanted to do it. You do have the gift to consort with the dead. I can take over your body, and we walk out of here together, Fox."

Sir Walter was instantly concerned. "If you take his body, where will he be?"

"Oh, he'll be in there with me, Sir Walter. I would never do anything to endanger my grandson and future king of Meridiem. But, it's imperative that I join your efforts in this war. It isn't one that humanity can afford to lose."

Fox turned to his knight protector. "I want to take him with me, sir."

"I don't know, peasant boy, it just seems . . .Sir Walter looked into the prince's stubborn face, then nodded reluctantly. "All right, whatever. Now where are those damn maps, we need to get out of here."

Fox shifted a few of his precious books, and removed the maps from a secret panel behind the shelves. He also gathered three other scrolls and one thin leather bound text. He handed everything to Sir Walter, then turned to reach out his arms to his waiting ancestor.

"I'm ready, Grandfather."

King Aaron took Fox lovingly into his arms. "Just relax your mind, son." Then the ghost stepped inside the young man's willing body.

"This is quite amazing." King Aaron said as he looked around. "That Dana is quite the powerful sorceress to cast this spell for you. I couldn't have chosen better life-mates for my grandson had I tried. Let's go, Sir Walter, before that scoundrel, Alex, leaves without us."

While Sir Walter and Mulder were gone, Krycek organized his band of sixty plus escaped prisoners, including one large, blue, tattooed man now disguised in a monk's robe, and bullied them up out of the dungeons into the palace courtyard. They concealed themselves in some dense shrubbery by the cobbler's shed.

"Now, everybody stay down and quiet. We're all transparent but not fully invisible. The fairies should have the guards bedazzled enough that they won't pay us any heed when we sneak out of the gate. We leave as soon as Sir Walter and the prince get here. Be ready."

"Ex . . .excuse me. I, uh, have to go to the outhouse." A timid little voice echoed from the rear.

"Ma-a-a-ax." Krycek whined. "Why didn't you go before we left the dungeon?"

"I'm nervous. I always have to go to the outhouse when I'm nervous."

"Well, can you just go over there in the bushes somewhere?"

"He most certainly cannot." Lady Diana said aghast. "There's a lady present."

"Yes, there is," Krycek hissed. "But Dana knows enough to turn her head."

The fore mentioned Dana threw up her hands in disgust. "I'm out of here. Tell Fox and Sir Walter that I went to check on the warlock army, and I'll see them back at headquarters later. The invisibility spell will wear off in a few hours, be sure you're far away from here by then."

"But Dana, what if Fox needs you to help him escape?"

"Make sure he doesn't, Krycek. You protect him for me, or else."

Krycek watched longingly as she snuck away. He very much wished he had some vital errand to attend to. Even a bloody battle would be better than this. He couldn't believe that the sorceress had just left like that but, then Dana often did things that were completely out of character.

"You always were a crude man, Alex." Lady Diana picked up the argument where they had left off. "Now, when are we going to pick up my carriage and baggage wagons?"

You won't need your baggage wagon." Jeffery Spender leered at Lady Diana. "I can keep you warm without your clothes."

"Ew-w-w-w!" She squealed, as several of the royal guard laughed vulgarly, slapping the little hunchback on his bulbous hump.

Krycek ran a frustrated hand over his face. He was supposed to be with Prince Fox right this minute, proving how invaluable he was. Securing the maps for Fox, making himself a hero in the pretty, young man's eyes. But no. Thanks to Sir Walter, he was out here babysitting a throng of ignorant, unwashed, loud-mouthed ingrates.

"We <all> walk, Diana. Now shut up, and that goes for all of you! It sounds like we're having a damned may-day picnic out here."

"You really shouldn't bellow like that, Alex." Frohike admonished.

"I'm not bellowing!" Alex bellowed, his voice echoing off the stone walls.

"Alex!" Sir Walter whispered behind him. "I put you in charge because I assumed you knew how to hide from the enemy, and I find you out here bellowing like a fish wife on half-price market day!"

Several of the recently liberated royal guard thought it their responsibility to agree with the knight's keen observations. This prompted Frohike and Max to defend Alex to the best of their ability while Lady Diana took the occasion to whine some more about getting her carriage from the stables.

"Sh-h-h-h!" Sir Walter growled as he glared at his second in command. "Alex, control your troops."

"Troops!" Alex grumbled, "More like a traveling minstrel show, if you ask me." Then Alex noticed Mulder for the first time. "Hey, what did you do to the prince?"

Walter looked nervously at the prince who stood quite contentedly, his face blank, just looking up at the sky. Alex hurried to Fox's side, waving a hand in front of his face.

"What the hell's wrong with him? Fox, can you hear me?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay," Mulder said in a dreamy monotone. "I just haven't been outside for awhile. I'd forgotten how blue the sky is. And the trees are so beautiful. Do you think we could have braised lamb for dinner, Alex? It was always my favorite."

Alex turned an accusing eye back to Skinner. "Did he get hit on the head or something? You were supposed to be watching him!"

Skinner rubbed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "He's just . . .not himself right now. Look, we need to get out of here before Spender and his guards figure out what's going on."

Now it was Krycek's turn to rub the bridge of his nose. He turned to the assembled horde. "Okay, now everybody listen carefully. We're going to split up into smaller groups. You need to stay down, stay quiet and follow the person in front of you. We go from these bushes, to the back of the barn, past the summer gardens, over the hill and through the south moat gate. Everybody got that?"

They all started repeating back his instructions, and pointing in all different directions.

"Quiet!" Alex turned to Sir Walter. "Take Fox and go on ahead, I think this is going to take some time from this end. Wait for us at the big oak tree at the north bend of Sparkling Creek. Frohike and I will get them all there by nightfall. If we're not there, go on without us. You can assume we were either caught or I decided to kill all of these idiots myself."

"Don't be too long, Alex. The fairies only have so much magic."

"Oh yeah," Alex grinned. "But what magic it is."

* * *   
Rendezvous Point   
Sparkling Creek

Four hours later, Sir Walter and the prince reached the bend of Sparkling Creek. Fox sank down in the soft, sweet smelling grass, and began looking around as if he had never seen grass or a babbling brook before.

Skinner studied the young man for a few moments. "King Aaron?"

Wide hazel eyes looked up at him. "Yes, sir knight?"

"I really need a few minutes alone with the prince, is it possible for you to make yourself scare for an hour or so?"

A slender hand came up to rub at the prince's lightly stubbled jaw. "Well,   
I could just go inward, and let Fox come out for a while. He's in trouble, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is. He went to get those maps without telling me where he was going. My job is to protect him. I can't do that if he wanders off every time he sees something that strikes his fancy. It's got to stop."

That familiar crooked smile appeared on the handsome face in front of the knight. "He was less than three years old the first time he got away from his nanny. I thought the poor woman was going to die of the vapors before she finally found him. His whipping boy often couldn't sit down for weeks at a time because of Fox's penchant for roaming."

"Whipping boy!" Skinner snorted. "It's obvious that was no deterrent. Didn't anyone see that."

"Oh but it was. Prince Fox would beg to take the beating himself, and would still be crying long after the whipping boy was happily eating pudding in the kitchen. I sometimes think the whipping boy tried to get Fox in trouble because afterward the prince would shower the boy with sweet tarts and his favorite toys?"

"There's no whipping boy now, he pays for his own mistakes."

"Probably easier on him. Well, I'll be going now. You will take care with him won't you?"

"Always, your majesty."

The prince's hazel eyes blinked once at the knight. Then he shook his head as if clearing it after awakening from a deep sleep.

"How did we get here?" The prince was looking around curiously.

Sir Walter squatted down in front of Fox. "What do you remember?"

"Going to get the maps. Seeing my grandfather. Grandfather!" Fox looked around in confusion. "Where is he?"

"He's around. I told him I needed some time alone with you to discuss a few things."

That got Mulder's immediate attention. He eyed the knight warily. "What did you need to discuss with me? I can explain everything."

"Good, I'm glad to hear that." He handed Mulder the dagger from his own belt. "Go cut a nice switch for us, we'll get your bottom bare, and then you can explain everything to me."

"No! I don't want to explain like that."

"Look, peasant boy, here's how this is going to go. Either you can go cut the switch, willingly put that cute little butt in the air, and take the lashing you deserve." Skinner paused to let this information sink in. "Or, I'll bare your bottom myself, spank you until you're blistered from hip to knee, and then I'll watch as your red, sore bottom dances to the tune of the switch that you will have to cut for me anyway. Now which will it be?"

"But I . . ."

"Last chance, peasant boy. Do you want this switching on a fresh bottom or on one that's already been spanked soundly for you?"

Mulder hesitated only a moment before he stomped off to once again choose and then prepare his own instrument of torture.

Mulder came back a few minutes later, lip out in an adorable pout, to hand Skinner a freshly cut switch. About two feet long, as thick as his little finger and stripped of it's leaves.

Very good, you've learned how to ready your switch very well. Now let's see." Skinner looked around for a fallen tree or handy stump. There was nothing. "Take off your clothes and lean against that tree, feet apart. I'd prefer to have your bottom higher but this will have to do for now."

"Naked? You want me naked? What if someone hears the noise, and comes to see what's going on?"

"Then they will see an extremely handsome boy getting his bare bottom firmly switched while he yells and wiggles and makes an outlandish number of false promises to change his defiant ways. Isn't that how it usually goes?"

"They aren't false promises." The prince sulked.

"Save your pretty pout and those fluttering lashes for later. If we hurry we may have time for me to comfort you in my special way before the others get here."

Mulder stripped quickly, embarrassed that Sir Walter was watching him prepare himself for a whipping. Reluctantly he took his position leaning against the big oak tree. He moved his feet more widely apart, cringing as he felt his bottom spread and rise toward his chastiser.

He waited, tensing for the first painful lash of the switch. But nothing happened. He knew Sir Walter was still behind him, he could sense his presence and feel the man's eyes on his naked back.

The prince was almost to the point where he was ready to beg the knight to get it over with when Sir Walter spoke. "Tell me about your whipping boy."

Mulder swallowed hard. "Why do you want to know about that? It was a long time ago."

"I'm just curious about your childhood, that's all. Tell me about him."

"He . . .he was a poor boy from the village. My father gave his family land and cattle in exchange for their son coming to live at the palace."

" Did the boy resent you? Did his family make proper use of their boon?"

"I don't know if he resented me. I wasn't allowed to talk to him. My father thought I was weak because I didn't want him to be punished in my place. But when I got older I didn't give up until I found out what his name was and located his family, then I made sure they had everything they needed. Later   
I had him trained as a royal guard. If he hates me, I've heard no word of it." The prince's voice cracked slightly. "He should." He whispered. "Hate me, that is."

"How old were you when he came to the palace."

"Could we not talk about this? Please, just get on with my whipping?"

"No. Answer the question." Skinner ran the tip of his switch up and down Mulder's ribs making him shiver.

"We were five."

"That's pretty young. Were they harsh with him."

"They . . .they were going to strap him but I cried so hard they became concerned for me, so they just used their hand. It was years before . . .he . . .ever . . ."

"Who punished him?"

"Sir Spender."

"Now, why am I not surprised about that. I am surprised, however, that he allowed your tears to sway him in the punishment he delivered."

"My father's military advisor, Sir Reginald, made sure he was always present. He didn't trust Sir Spender to not lose control, and seriously injure the whipping boy. I think he didn't trust Sir Spender to keep his hands off of me either."

"Wise man. It must have been a relief to know you would never be punished no matter how much trouble you caused."

"No!" The prince cried out in a pained voice. "It's horrible to know that someone else is going to be suffer for something you did. I really tried not to get into any trouble but that was a lot harder than it sounded. There was just so much to . . ."

"Get into to?" Sir Walter tapped his switch lightly against the base of the prince's right buttock.

"Learn."

"You're an extraordinary man, Prince Fox of Meridiem."

The prince seemed startled by the comment, shaking his head adamantly. "No. I've had everything handed to me while others toiled their life away.   
I owe the people of Meridiem everything, and they owe me nothing."

"There are many who would beg to differ with you on that point. I pray you live long enough to find that out. Which brings up to the little matter of the six lashes I owe you. To be delivered right across this absolutely gorgeous bare bottom you have shining up at me so prettily in the sunlight. What is this whipping for, peasant boy?"

"Leaving headquarters without telling you."

"That's right." The first lash landed with a breath taking streak of fire across his butt.

"And why should you tell me when you leave the cave?"

"Dan . . .dangerous!" Another cutting strike that the prince was sure had severed his bottom into.

"So you can learn, peasant boy. What a relief."

The prince fought to remain in position as the switch four more livid weals across his once pristine bottom. Each one felt as if a red hot sword edge had been laid across his tender, scorched skin.

When it was over, the prince was leaning his forehead against the rough bark of the tree, his breath hard and fast with only the occasional sniffle to let his knight protector know that he had coaxed tears from the young prince.

Mulder felt Sir Walter's warm mouth close on the tender area of his neck where it met his shoulder.

"So what is the name of this royal guardsman who suffered your punishment in return for his family's prosperity, his own future and the guilt of a king? I should like to know him, should we ever meet."

"His name is Duane Barry but he may well be dead. So many of the royal guard died trying to protect me and my family."

Sir Walter ran his hands down the long smooth back, then lowered his lips to nibble behind a succulent ear. "Ah, so the king now has some more guilt to add to his burden?"

Mulder gasped as Sir Walter turned his head, kissing the salty tears from his streaked face before possessing his pouty lips for a scalding kiss. When the knight finally released his mouth, the prince was trembling from head to foot, and it had absolutely nothing to do with the half dozen stinging welts that lined his throbbing backside.

"Maybe . . .maybe the king deserves his guilt."

"I'll be the judge of what the king deserves." Skinner said, as he pulled Mulder down into the soft, deep grass, his own hard muscular body covering the younger man in a blanket of love, security and comfort.

It was another two hours before Sir Walter was awakened from his doze, contentedly wrapped around his beautiful, sensual prince. He heard Krycek coming long before he saw him and his protesting companions.

"Better wake up and get dressed, peasant boy?" Sir Walter smiled down at the handsome young man, "We have company, finally."

No answer. "Fox?"

Still no reaction from the silent prince.

"King Aaron?"

Mulder turned to the knight, blinking his eyes sleepily. "Yes?"

"Is everything all right? You seem a little distracted."

"Fox is fighting the possession a little. I think he might be just a little afraid that I won't give his body back when the time comes. He isn't the most trusting boy I've ever met."

"You are going to hold up your end of the deal, aren't you?" Now Skinner was looking at him with suspicion and just a hint of threat.

A lazy smile appeared on the prince's handsome face. "Yes. I would never hurt him. You can trust me." Still smiling, he looked around him, "I had forgotten just how beautiful the realm was. I don't like being dead."

"I can imagine it's quite an inconvenience." Skinner said as he eyed the prince with more than a little distrust. He had no idea how he would evict the king if he tried to keep Fox. Maybe Dana would know. Of course, she would kill Sir Walter for allowing it to happen in the first place.

"Ouch!" King Aaron hissed as he sat up. "Whatever did you do to this boy's backside. It feels flayed."

"He made the acquaintance of the business end of a hickory switch. He'll . . . you'll be fine in a little while."

"Feels like he also made the acquaintance of the business end of something far more enjoyable. You stretched him well and proper, I'd say." The prince wiggled and grinned as two bright, red spots appeared high on the knight's cheekbones. "It's been years since I've felt such a pleasant little ache. Nice to know you mix a little pleasure with your punishment, sir knight."

* * *   
Endous Mountains   
Dianne Cave of The Three

Sir Walter caught the prince in his arms as he collapsed, scooping him up to hold securely against his own broad chest. King Aaron stretched his arms high above his head, looking around in approval at the war room that was to be his new home.

"Ah, the smell of battle in the morning. I thought I would never experience anything so sweet again."

Sir Walter looked down sadly at the limp young man that lay in his arms. "Is he going to be all right?"

"Oh course he is." King Aaron assured the worried knight. "Just take him to bed for a while. Now, that shouldn't be any real hardship for you, should it? And get some rest yourself. You all need it after that rescue you pulled off. And you," King Aaron lifted the Sorceress Dana's hand gently to his full lips. "You are a treasure above all others, sweet witch. My grandson is indeed a most fortunate man."

To her surprise, Dana found herself blushing at the handsome king's charming words. His resemblance to Prince Fox was truly remarkable. "Thank you, your majesty."

Twelve hours later, the prince was awake, refreshed and pouring over the maps that showed the way to the Pentagorian Caves.

"I think it lies only a short distance from the palace, in the Dark Woods." The prince never lifted his eyes from the maps as he spoke to his military advisor. "What do you think, Sir Walter?"

"I think those are but copies and perhaps poor ones at that. The original maps would be over a thousand years old. Much of the lay of the land could have changed in that length of time."

"Yes, that's true enough." Mulder sucked his full bottom lip between his teeth for a moment. The action mesmerized Sir Walter to the point that he flinched when the prince spoke again. "But the mountains would not have changed too much. And the ocean must be a good marker still."

"I don't know, peasant boy, it just seems to me . . ."

His thoughts were interrupted as Lady Diana stormed into the war room. "Fox, I have located a much larger, more private chamber down the west hall, which though still dank and depressing, will be much more appropriate for my use. Please have some of the peasants clean it out. I will also need several maids assigned for my personal use. I want competent women, mind you, and well bathed. Oh and a reliable seamstress, I need a complete new wardrobe immediately."

"Diana, we're at war." The prince's tone proved this type of conversation was not the first he'd engaged in with the Lady Diana of Fowley.

"I believe," Sir Walter was quick to point out. "That the chamber you refer to is occupied by Prince Fox."

"Oh really? Well, that just makes it all the better. I will feel much safer sharing a room with my fianc�. We really must set some of our more civilized sensibilities aside in these dark times, I suppose."

"Lady Diana," Skinner said as he closed the distance between them. "You fail to understand. Prince Fox already shares that chamber with myself and the Sorceress Dana. You will have to be content with the bed chamber that has already been designated for your use."

"Not acceptable. Not at all. There are three other women in that small chamber. I refuse to stay there." She turned a haughty face toward the prince. "Fox, you mother would be most disappointed in your choice of living arrangements in this dreadful place."

Skinner bristled as he saw the intense pain cross the prince's face at the mention of his recently deceased mother.

"Enough!" Sir Walter shouted. The war room suddenly became deathly quiet. Even the Lady Diana having enough sense to flinch slightly. "You will accept what is offered to you graciously or you will leave immediately to find you own way in this devastated land. The choice is yours, Lady Diana."

"Fo . . .Fox, speak with your man immediately." Diana's was mortified that her voice cracked on the last word.

"Diana, he is hardly <my> man. Sir Walter is his own man, and if anything I owe him my life, and my loyalty. Besides which, he's right. I have too much to do trying to save my kingdom to deal with your unreasonable demands. If you can't help us . . .or at the very least stay out of our way, then perhaps it would be best if you sought refuse in another, more distant realm."

"But Fox," Diana managed to scrounge up a couple of fabricated tears. "Where would I go? Your dear mother would have . . ."

Skinner grabbed Diana by her upper arms, shaking her roughly. "You will not mention the queen again in the prince's presence. He was a much better son than she was a parent but the pain of her death is still fresh for him, with no time to mourn her passing. You will not hurt him again by using her name to try to further your own selfish desires."

As soon as the big hands released her arms, Diana stumbled backwards, rubbing her bruised skin. Her face was mottled red with her hatred and anger. "Fox, I demand this man be beheaded for touching me in such a vile manner or I cannot remain here another moment."

The prince looked both pained and exasperated. "It's not my wish to see you unduly injured Diana but perhaps it would be best if you sought refuse elsewhere. I know you, and I would not want Sir Walter to have to be looking over his shoulder at every turn to make sure you are not waiting there to greet him with a dagger."

"You will rue this day, Prince Fox of Meridiem. I will make you sorry you ever chose this disreputable knight and that red-headed witch over your chosen beloved mate."

"You were chosen to be my fianc�, Diana, but you were never my beloved, mate or otherwise. I will have one of my warriors escort you to the edge of the realm. It's rumored that the Outland is still undisturbed by fighting."

"The Outland is a wilderness not fit for a lady!"

Fox sighed heavily. "Then try one of the villages. The brownies have Aspan Mea well protected at the moment."

"I can't live with those dour little brownies! And I'll need some new clothing for traveling." She batted hatefully at her tattered gown. "I can't wear this another moment. Your mother would . . ."

Sir Walter took a step forward, his face enraged but he was stopped by a small hand on his arm. He looked down into Dana's calm face. "Let me handle this, Sliabh."

Diana eyed the sorceress with hatred and distrust. "Stay out of this, witch."

"But I merely wish to help you, my lady. Are you weary of wearing that shabby, soiled gown? I could easily remedy that situation for you."

"Perhaps you should help yourself first." The lady sneered, her disdainful eyes running over the tunic and leggings that Dana now wore as she participated in the many battles that raged around the kingdom. A long flowing gown could easily get her killed. Besides, Dana rather liked the freedom afforded by the men's clothing. And it had certainly done nothing to dampen her sexual allure for either the prince or his knight protector. They seemed to care little if they were stripping her of leggings or a lacy chemise.

"Oh but I am a mere peasant woman without your cultivated taste in finery. However, if you'd prefer to continue wearing that ragged garment, I'll not bother you further. I just thought you might like me to . . ."

"Do it! Do it, and be quick about it! And I'll need a warm cloak as well."

Dana raised one hand. The prince took a step forward to come between the two woman but found a strong, muscular arm wrapped firmly around his waist. He looked up into Sir Walter's wickedly grinning face. "Hold steady, peasant boy, some things are just too good to miss."

A cold, blue flame leap from the end of Dana's upraised fingers, engulfing the narcissistic Lady Diana. Her torn and tattered gown immediately disintegrated into ash. Falling to her feet with a soft whispering whoosh and a small cloud of dust, leaving the shocked and dismayed lady naked for all to see.

Face flaming, Diana let out a blood-curdling scream, as she wrapped her thin arms around herself, and raced for the back chambers, her white, jiggling backside the focal point of every eye in the crowded war room.

"Dana!" The prince stared at her from Walter's arms, his eyes wide with shock. "I can't believe you did that."

Dana smiled smugly at Sir Walter, who was grinning from ear to ear over the prince's shoulder. "Oh, Alainn, you of all people should know how much I enjoy the sight of a naked body in the bright light of day." She leered at him, "Would you like to be next? After all, it was <you> who brought that woman to this cave."

The prince swallowed hard, eyes widening impossibly further, as he felt Sir Walter's lips brush his ear. "Better give it up, peasant boy, as much as I'd enjoy seeing you standing here in nothing but your beautiful skin, we do have work to do."

The prince nodded, never taking his wary eyes off Dana, as he slowly backed away from her.

"Alainn."

He stopped abruptly, his anxious eyes meeting hers fully. "Yes, Dana?"

"Gottcha."

A wide, crooked grin broke across his face as he shook his head in denial, before turning quickly to return to the relative safety of his maps.

* * *   
Realm of Meridiem   
Main Market Road

The small band moved quietly along the darkened road. It was usually the most highly traveled thoroughfare of the kingdom, leading as it did to the royal palace from the north and the markets of Undola to the south. But, they had seen no other travelers in the two days since they had left the caves.

The battles raged on to the north but as yet no one, with the exception of the rescue party who had freed the captive Fenig, had even seen so much as a trace of a Nuvega. If the three travelers had not beheld the strange creatures with their own eyes they, too, would have been hard pressed to believe they actually existed.

But seen them they had. So even though they were not traveling in a battle zone, the Truth Seeker, the Protector and the Sorceress were ever vigilant as they made their way south.

The quarrel over just who should go to the mystical Pentagoria to look for the ancient weapons had continued for hours. Prince Fox had originally intended to go by himself. Although, once he voiced that particular plan he had quickly amended it by, Of course I planned to take Sir Walter with me'. The big knight was not so easily pacified, and had glared at his errant prince for the remainder of the discussion. In the end, it was decided that Prince Fox would indeed go, accompanied by Sir Walter and the Sorceress Dana, whose threats, were she to be left behind had everyone quaking in their boots.

They would have taken the ever lethal Alex Krycek with them, but no one had seen hide nor hair of him since they had returned to headquarters. Sir Walter wasn't sure if he had disappeared on some urgent errand, or if he just wanted to avoid Dana's strap on his backside. The knight was pretty sure she had been serious with her threat to punish Alex, and the young man was no fool. He would hardly hang around to see what the sorceress had in mind for him.

After entering the southern most tip of the Dark Woods, they had to hack their way through dense foliage. It was a time-consuming and strenuous process. The sun was just beginning to set when they came upon the ruins of an ancient city.

"It's real. I thought it was all a myth." Prince Fox breathed as he gazed upon the piles of stone. All that was left of a people vanquished, and long forgotten.

"Of course it's real, Alainn." Dana gently rubbed his arm. "I've told you the stories."

"Not nearly enough. I need to know about the olden days, Dana. I need to know everything."

"I know you do, Alainn. You always have, and you always will. Perhaps some of your answers wait for you here."

"Why won't you just tell me, Dana?" That was a definite whine in his voice. He tried to ignore it.

"All answers must come in their own time, Alainn. I learned that lesson many lifetimes ago. If I give you the answers too quickly, you don't bother to look for the truth."

"Aren't they the same?"

"Not always."

They came upon the remnants of an immense statue. It was an idol sitting on a throne, his features long ago polished to a smooth surface by wind and rain. The terraced alter leading up to the long-forsaken deity was cracked and overgrown with weeds.

Mulder stared, awe struck, at the huge, stone carving for several moments. "This must have been a symbol of great power for these people."

"This place must have been beautiful at one time." Sir Walter marveled.

"Yes it was a public gathering place. Marvelous and awful at the same time," Dana said sadly. "As the war drew to a close, our enemies brought captives here to be executed. Hundreds died in this courtyard. The Nuvega thought it a great jest to defile a place that was so revered by our people."

She pointed at the great stone platform that held the faceless icon. "It was there that the Great Prophet gave his last warning to the people of the land. He was driven from the streets, bloody and scorned. I was broken-hearted at the time."

"You were there?" Sir Walter asked, keeping one eye on the prince who had wondered to the far side of the once magnificent sanctuary.

"Yes. I took the Great Prophet to the north. We found shelter among a group of true believers, and I nursed him back to health. But, the Great Centurian War began before he had a chance to try again to warn the innocent, to save the disbelievers. He never got over his failure."

"Failure?" Walter asked. "He didn't fail. Everything he said came to pass. He is known as the greatest prophet the realms have ever known. Everyone knows that he saved the people of the realm. Even a thousand years later."

"In his mind, he failed. The Great Prophet didn't want to save a few of the wise people, he wanted to save them all. He died a sad, broken man."

"I wish I had known such a man." Walter whispered.

Dana smiled at him sweetly. "You did, Sliabh." She nodded her head toward the prince, who was now poking a stick into a rather large hole in the ground.

Sir Walter's eyes widened. "Fox? My peasant boy was the Great Prophet?"

"In that long ago lifetime, yes. I've never told him."

Sir Walter looked back over to his charge. The prince had given up his stick, and was now down on hands and knees with his head in the hole, trying to peer into the inky darkness.

"Fox! Get away from there!" Sir Walter turned back to the sorceress. "Are you sure?" He asked skeptically. "He seems so . . .so . . ."

"Common? Ordinary?" Dana offered.

Sir Walter smiled. "No, not common or ordinary. Never that. Just not someone who would be considered Great Prophet material."

"You forget, Sir Walter, no one is ever heralded as a great prophet until long after their death. While he was doing his most remarkable work the Great Prophet was an outcast. Ridiculed and shunned as a madman. Few recognized his brilliance or his magic, some couldn't, some just didn't want to. It is the way of men and their prophets."

"Yes, I suppose you're right. Still . . ."

"Hey, I think I found something." Mulder stood before them, a big goody grin covering his beautiful face. "Come on."

Sir Walter soon found himself peering down into the dark depths of the prince's newly discovered tunnel, magic and oracles forgotten for the moment.

"I think it might lead to the caves of the Pentagorians." Mulder assured them.

"What makes you think that? I can't see a thing." Sir Walter growled.

"Just a feeling." The prince shrugged his shoulder in dismissal of further discussion.

"A feeling? You want us to crawl down in some dark hole, with who knows what might be living down there, just because you have a . . .?"

"Sliabh . . ." Dana laid a hand on his arm. "You've always trusted the prince. Now is not the time to change your mind about that."

"Always?" He asked, one eyebrow raised high over his brown eye.

Dana smiled at the knight. "Yes, always. Who do you think helped me get him to the true believers in the north? You go where we go, Sliabh. It has always been so."

"What true believers in the north?" Mulder asked in confusion.

Dana pulled him down and gently kissed the adorable little mole on his cheek. "Never mind, Alainn, light the torches. It looks like it's time for us to go exploring again."

They walked for miles through the dark, wet and often rubble-strewn tunnels. Fox leading the way with some kind of sixth sense that Sir Walter couldn't even begin to understand. They finally came to a sealed portal, once almost impenetrable, now cracked and weakened with age.

Upon the portal was the remains of a carving of what appeared to be a winged creature. It had an immense wing span and a fragment of what appeared to be a beak still remained visible.

"I'm sure I saw other bits and pieces of this same winged creature as we neared these ruins. This archaic culture must have worshiped animals as well as their many gods."

"I think you may be right, Sir Walter, but I think they must have been mystical creatures. This is a terrifying image. I wouldn't want to meet this thing in the forest, night or day."

Sir Walter chuckled as he nodded his agreement.

As the prince and Sir Walter labored to pry the door open, Dana looked around. "This was once a place of great power," she stated evenly. "You can still feel that about the place."

"It was also a place of great evil." Fox grunted, as he put his back into moving the heavy old door. "This is where they hid their lies. They thought to rule the world. They died for their arrogance."

"Yes, Alainn, they did. Now we must learn from their mistakes."

The air was heavy and close as they entered the ancient tomb. Some of the wall and ceiling had fallen, leaving dangerous traps that had to be navigated carefully as they worked their way into the depths of the cavernous temple.

"Look at this." Sir Walter pointed to a rotting chest filled with strange transparent vessels. Each vessel contained what appeared to be a body part of a Nuvega. A few were floating in water, but most had been broken, the water drained and it's gory contents dried and shriveled.

"We always suspected the elders knew about the Nuvega but we could never get proof of their complicity." Dana whispered. "The Great Prophet would have given his life to have seen this."

"Well they are all as long dead as these body parts. Let's go find those weapons and get out of here." The prince shivered.

It took them over an hour but finally they located the area where the map indicated they would find the Nuvega daggers.

They had to move what the prince was sure was several tons of rock and rotting debris but finally they were successful. Fox opened the casket carefully and pulled out one of the deadly weapons. The only weapon known to man to effectively kill a Nuvega.

They quickly stuffed the thirty-three weapons into their packs and made their way back through the tunnels to the courtyard of the faceless idol. By the time they could again smell the sweet fresh air, it was dark and the stars were twinkling above them.

They made camp under a giant oak. Their camp fire illuminating the stone god's broken and battered body.

"You know," the prince toyed with a Nuvega dagger until Sir Walter took it from his fingers and put it back in the pack. "This place feels right. Have I been here before, Dana?"

"Yes, Fox. Now, I need to get some sleep, we have a long walk ahead of us. Wake me when it's my turn to keep watch."

"Did I like it here?"

"In the beginning. We came here often. It was a serene and beautiful place back then. That all changed, of course. Everything changed."

"Tell me about it, Dana." The prince pleaded.

"No. You have enough to deal with in this lifetime. You don't need to be thinking about things that happened a thousand years ago. We won the war, and you died an old man in my arms. We had a good life together. I pray the two of us are as fortunate this time. And," she looked meaningfully at Sir Walter, "The three of us can lead a peaceful and happy life when this is over."

The prince sighed, and settled down beside her, pulling the blanket up to cover them more securely. Dana had her face buried in Sir Walter's chest, as he snored lightly. The prince pulled his pack over to him and removed a Nuvega dagger. He turned it slowly in his hands, thinking of the days to come and the war that must be won.

The End Part 8

 

* * *

 

Knight Time in the Realm - Part 9  
By: DiAnn  
  
Rating: NC17 - SLASH/ language/ Violence  
Category: AU / Fantasy / BDSM / m/m Slash  
Warning: Mulder-Skinner Slash / M/Sk/Sc  
If you don't like this kind of thing, or you are underage, go somewhere else . . . Please! I don't want to hear from you and I don't want to hear from your Mama.  
Spoiler: Through Season 6.  
Summary: Alternate Universe - Kings and palaces and handsome soldiers for hire.  
Disclaimer: I do not, nor ever will, own Mulder, Scully, Skinner, Krycek or anyone else from the X-Files. I am borrowing them without permission and am obviously not receiving money for this stuff. We all know who they really belong to, CC, Fox and lots of other people but again, not me.  
Special thanks to Nicole who corrects my commas, asks all the right questions, and demands exacting explanations.

* * *

Knight Time in the Realm - Part 9  
By: DiAnn

Realm of Meridiem

Mulder felt a painful stitch forming in his heaving side as he ran. He risked a glance over his shoulder, wishing he hadn't, as he saw that his relentless pursuer was once more close upon him. He somehow managed yet another burst of speed, gasping for his quickly diminishing breath. He wouldn't be able to run much longer, and then it would have him at its mercy.

He gracefully jumped an obstacle that had appeared in his path, feigned to the left trying desperately to thwart the enemy behind him. His ploy didn't work, he could feel it shadowing his every move, gaining on him with every step he took. Suddenly a sharp pain streaked across his back. He was hit again! And it hurt! Oh Great Prophet, how it hurt. He wasn't sure how much more damage he could sustain before his body would just give out on him.

The prince reached deep inside himself to pull out one more scrap of endurance. One last desperate attempt to save himself from the devil that chased him. He made a sharp turn, not watching where he was going closely enough, running face first into a stone wall, the beast bit into his flesh again, harder this time. It wanted him, wanted him to lay down so it could devour his flesh. Wanted to eat him alive, flay the skin from his very bones.

Prince Fox scrambled along the wall, keeping his back to the beast, his more vulnerable belly flush with the protective surface. He put his weight on the balls of his feet, rocking his body forward, prepared to lung out of reach. It struck at him again, the pain sharp and piercing, sinking deep into his flesh just as he leaped over the prone bodies of Sir Walter and Dana.

"Enough!" Dana commanded.

The pursuer dropped instantly, cold and dead at the prince's feet. Mulder cautiously turned to nudge it with his foot, needing to assure himself that it would not rise to come after him again. It lay coiled like the deadly serpent it was, quiet for the moment, but still not to be underestimated. Mulder shivered with fear at the sight of it.

"Have you had enough?"

Mulder turned back to the bed, rubbing at the welts that now covered his bare backside. "Please Dana. I'm sorry," he gasped, still breathless and panting. "Please don't make me run from that strap anymore."

Dana snapped her fingers, and her leather strap rose from the ground behind Prince Fox, hovering very near his already well-striped bottom. "I should have it chase you for another hour, but I don't want to wear you out so much that Sir Walter doesn't get a crack at that pretty butt of yours tonight."

Mulder groaned in despair, his eyes turning to plead with the knight. "Sir Walter, please, not another paddling tonight. My butt is still sore from the one you gave me last night, and the night before that, too." He added with a pout.

"And tell me, peasant boy, what did you do the day before yesterday that earned you a blistered bottom?"

"I don't think we need to go into that again. We've already more than . .."

"Tell me!"

Mulder flinched, "I stood up in middle of a battle, and yelled so we would know the exact location of the troll bow-snipers who were hidden in the woods. It seemed like a good idea at the . . ."

Mulder's heart sank as the knight's jaw tensed at the often-repeated sin voiced out loud yet again.

"And yesterday?" The knight ground out between gritted teeth, "What did you do to earn the paddle yesterday?"

"I rode my horse into the mist of eight attacking dark knights because I thought they would get to your position before you could ready your lance." Mulder glanced up through thick dark lashes, hoping to distract his angry knight protector. "It worked," the prince reminded him. "They were so surprised by my ploy they almost fell off their mounts."

That questionable defense caused a tick to form in Sir Walter's already tight jaw. "And today, peasant boy, what did you do today that caused Dana to set that strap on your tail?"

Another dramatic, resigned sigh from the prince. "I took a gargoyle bunker out by myself."

"Yes you did. Go get the paddle."

"But I . . ."

"GO. GET. THE. PADDLE!"

"Mean-assed, over- protective, son of a . . ." Mulder mumbled under this breath as he turned to retrieve the nasty little piece of wood. He hadn't realized until this moment just how right Alex Krycek had been.

"What did you say, peasant boy?"

"I said, uh, yes sir'."

"That's good because I think Dana still has a bar of that mint soap left, and I know for a fact that isn't your favorite flavor."

Mulder grimaced as he handed the knight the paddle. He was almost positive that he could still taste that nasty green soap from the last time he had gotten mouthy with the big knight. "No, sir."

Sir Walter hefted the paddle in his hand. "Do you deserve this, peasant boy?"

"No."

"Excuse me?" The knight raised an incredulous eyebrow.

"Everyone else called me a hero for taking out those gargoyles." The prince lamented, his bottom lip protruding nicely.

"So they did. And tell me, brat, just how many dead heroes went to become good kings?"

Mulder rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. "None, sir."

"That's right. Now I want you to get over there, and show Dana just how sorry you are that you're the cause of such endless worry for her."

It was the prince's turn to exhibit an incredulous look but he wasn't about to question this turn of events. He hurriedly backed away from the knight, and crawled between Dana's spread legs. He buried his nose in her red curls, and sighed in contentment when his tongue touched her warm, wet core. He loved the little whimper she always made when he did this.

Skinner watched as the prince pleasured the sorceress. Dana was beyond happy at the moment, eyes closed, rosebud mouth open and panting. Sir Walter smiled at the sight his two beautiful lovers made together.

"All right, peasant boy, you're doing a fine job. I want you to continue just as you are but pull you knees up to your chest. I want that bottom of yours up in the air, my paddle has a few things still to discuss with it."

Mulder's eyes popped open in alarm. He paused for a moment but when he heard Dana's moans of ecstasy turn to a groan of disappointment, he got back to his assigned task. He carefully pulled up his knees, never breaking contact between his mouth and Dana. Now he lay between her satiny smooth legs, his bottom well up and presented for Sir Walter's unwanted attention.

"We'll skip the usual conversation, peasant boy, since your mouth is full at the moment. Anyway, you already know what this is for."

Sir Walter raised the hard, wooden paddle high above its bare, cringing target and brought it down hard. Mulder yelped into Dana but didn't lose his rhythm. The paddle struck again, then again and then again. The prince wiggled his bottom, groaning but stayed in position and dedicated to finishing his assignment.

Skinner threw down the well-worn paddle, grabbing the small pot of oil that he kept well within reach of their bed. As he carefully stretched the prince's small, tight entrance, he marveled that Dana could reach fulfillment so many times. Lucky woman. When Fox was nicely prepared, Sir Walter sank gratefully into the hot, slick depths of the beautiful prince.

The added sensation made the prince even more diligent in his efforts, bringing Dana to satisfaction for the third time. She came screaming his name, as a strong, callused hand reached around and began stroking Mulder's rock-hard shaft. That was all it took to send the young man into his own world of glorious sensation. Sir Walter quickly followed to his own fulfillment, screaming their names and panting for breath.

As the three sated lovers lay entwined with each other, Dana raised her head just enough to look at the still smiling Sir Walter. "You know with your penchant for punishing him with pleasure, it's no wonder he's reborn such a brat every time."

"If it isn't broke, don't fix it, Dana. Don't tell him I said this, but I like him just the way he is." She kissed his lips gently, and nestled down to sleep between her two handsome and passionate lovers.

* * *   
War Room   
The Next Morning

The prince looked around the crowded war room to make sure everyone's attention was elsewhere, then discretely rubbed his sore backside. Between Dana's strap and Sir Walter's paddle, the prince could not sit down at all. He was going to stay out of trouble today if it killed him. Sir Walter would have no reason to get that paddle out tonight.

"Sore bottom again, my boy?"

Mulder nearly jumped out of his skin, "Grandfather! You nearly scared me to death. Are you so anxious for me to join you in the hereafter?"

The handsome former king only laughed at his jumpy grandson. "You were just afraid I was Sir Walter catching you in some mischief again. You do keep that man hopping, Fox. It's really quite entertaining."

"I doubt he thinks so. At least I've never seen any traces of a sense of humor in him."

"Nonsense, boy, the man is really quite amusing." King Aaron ignored his grandson's dubious expression. "However, I have to admit, I do wonder why you continue to submit to his attentions. You <are> the king now."

"No grandfather, a king without his throne is no king at all. I won't take that title until I have defeated the Nuvega and proclaimed Meridiem free once more. So, though I will never bow to Sir Spender, the pretender, in my mind Meridiem has no king at the moment. Only a prince who must prove he is worthy to rule by regaining his birthright." The prince looked up into the beloved, ghostly face that was so like his own. "And grandfather, I <will> sit upon the throne of Meridiem as its king."

"You make an old ghost proud, Fox. And Sir Walter, what of him?"

The prince smiled softly. "Well, Dana says he's my destiny, but to be honest, I just love the guy. And most of the time, he's right. I may not always like his methods but without him, I would probably never see that throne again. And besides," the prince chuckled, "you can't change the spots on a Mongorian Snap Dog, now can you? And, don't tell Sir Walter I said this, but I like him just the way he is."

"Your secret is safe with me, Fox my boy. Wouldn't want Sir Walter to get conceited, now would we?"

"Yeah right," the prince snorted, "he's such a humble man right now. So, grandfather, do you miss the palace?"

"Not at all, my boy, I do miss Vlagimir but I'm working on a plan to get him out of the palace, too. He would love this place. All the excitement. He was always at his best in the heart of the battle."

"This plan doesn't include me going back to the palace does it?" Fox eyed his grandfather suspiciously. "Because I have to tell you, I don't think my backside can't take another of Sir Walter's lesson on staying away from that place."

"No, I think I've found someone else who can help me. He . . ."

Fox turned away to watch a battalion of tired and wounded warriors make their way into the headquarters. They collapsed onto the hard stone floor wherever they could find an empty spot, too exhausted to even try to make it to the barracks and their warm cots. It would appear the battle was still raging at Neuoncon. It was rumored that Sir Arnold of Caspion, Spender's first-in-command and would be defiler of pretty princes, was leading that assault himself.

The prince felt his grandfather place a comforting, if feather-light, hand on his shoulder. "War is never easy, my boy. You're doing fine."

Mulder looked back to answer his grandfather only to see his Uncle Yappi standing beside him.

"How did he get out of the palace?" Uncle Yappi gave the young prince a condescending humph!' before walking away, nose in the air.

The former King Aaron smiled. "Oh, he was never trapped at the castle. When he choked at that banquet, he ran outside and died there. I wouldn't have been trapped either if those numbskulls I was hunting with hadn't dragged me back home to die."

"Uncle Yappi choked to death?"

"Well, you were still a little boy, and already a picky eater. I didn't want to scare you. And you looked up to him so much, though I still can't understand why that was so. Even in death, Yappi is useless. The only weapons he has at his disposal are chicken bones."

"Huh?"

"Well a ghost can only has access to what he had with him when he died. Puts us at a real disadvantage, let me tell you. Take your Uncle Seth for example, died in bed with his mistress. Now there's a man who wishes he had died in battle instead naked in his bed. Not a pretty sight, let me tell you. He doesn't even . . ."

"King Fox! King Fox!" A young elf came running up, his face flushed with importance at being chosen to deliver a message to the handsome, young king.

"Yes, what is it, Clayton? And I keep telling everyone that I'm still a prince until we win this damned war."

"Not everyone agrees with you on that, sire."

The prince ran a hand over his face. "Some king, I can't even get my loyal subjects to follow the simplest command. Call me prince, Clayton, please?"

"As you wish, King Fox. Master Langly sent me out here to tell you, there's a strange man waiting in the outer chamber to see you. He told me that I should notify Sir Walter as well."

"Did this strange man' ask to see Sir Walter?" The prince couldn't keep the petulance out of his voice.

"No, he asked only for you." The elf stated, starting to back away, fear beginning to show in his bright, blue eyes.

Mulder reached out tousling the elf's shaggy hair, hoping to calm his fears. "I'm sorry, Clayton, this war has us all on edge. I shall see this man by myself. Thank you for delivering the message, now you need to get back to your post. I'll handle Sir Walter."

"Yes, your highness."

The prince made his way to the outer chamber, grumbling about how everyone thought to tell Sir Walter every move he made. He was a grown man after all, twenty summers in just a couple of moons, there was no need for everyone to treat him like some defenseless child.

When the prince reached his destination, he saw a man, wearing a tattered uniform of the royal guard, slumped against a large boulder, his head buried in his hands.

Keeping his own hand on the hilt of his sword, the prince slowly advanced on the forlorn and trembling figure.

"You asked to see Prince Fox of Meridiem, guardsman?"

Duane Barry looked up with an unfathomable sadness etched on his prematurely aged face.

"Duane?" The prince whispered, surprise clearly evident in his voice.

Duane stared at the prince for a long moment before finally speaking. "Duane Barry came to tell you something, Prince Fox."

Mulder moved closer, trying to see why his former whipping boy seemed so unnatural in his movements and speech. "Are you all right, Duane?"

"No! Duane Barry is not all right!" The man shouted, then seemed to remember himself as he lowered his voice. "I. . . I was taken by the Nuvega. They tor . . .tortured Duane Barry." He raised his voice to a shrill cry once more. "They hurt my head!"

Mulder moved carefully toward the distraught man. "I'm sorry, Duane. I've had many people tell me how horrible it is to be captured by the Nuvega. I'm sorry to hear they hurt you."

Duane looked up into sincere, compassionate hazel eyes. A smile almost lightened the man's hang-dog expression. "You believe Duane Barry?"

"Of course I do," the prince said as he laid a hand on Barry's shoulder, only to quickly pull it away as the man screamed and scrambled away from him.

"Don't touch me! Don't ever touch Duane Barry! They . . . they touched me! I can't let them touch me again. Never again, not Duane Barry! You have to stop them. You have to come with Duane Barry. The Nuvega have something that belongs to you."

"What, Duane?" The prince kept his voice low and soothing, as smooth as silk over satin. "What do the Nuvega have that's mine?"

Barry looked around him frantically, checking all the shadowed corners with nervous, darting eyes before coming back to meet those of the crown prince. "They can't take Duane Barry again."

"I know that, Duane. I won't let them take you. I promise. You have to tell me, Duane, you have to tell me what the Nuvega have."

"Your . . .your sister."

* * *   
Resistance Headquarters   
Sir Walter's Chambers

Mulder carefully buckled his pack, almost ready to sneak out the door, when the portal flew open to crash against the inside wall with a deafening bang. The prince Mulder spun around, his eyes wide and frightened, his hands instinctively going back to cover his butt. All the light in the room was suddenly swallowed by the immense, and terrifying figure that completely filled the doorway.

"You know, peasant boy, we just keep covering the same ground here. Why do you think that is?"

"Gr . . .ground, sir?"

Sir Walter backed the terrified prince further into the room. "Yes. I keep ordering you not to leave this cave alone. You keep leaving. Then I roast your butt over it, while you wail and promise that you will obey me in the future. And then we start all over again. Why do you think that is, brat?"

Mulder swallowed hard. "I have to go to the Nevega camp at Nostesto. They might have my sister there." The prince looked up at Sir Walter with eyes that begged for understanding. "I have to go."

Skinner looked into the pleading eyes for only a moment before making his decision. "Of course we have to go." He threw something at the prince that landed hard against his chest. "Put that on and we'll leave."

The prince looked down at the pile of armor that lay at his feet. "I can't move in that stuff, it's too heavy. Slows me down."

"Not as much as it will slow you down to be tied to that bed over there. Either you wear the armor, and we go together to check out this rumor of your sister, or you spend the next few weeks tied naked to my bed. I don't think I have to tell you which I would find most enjoyable."

Mulder's eyes widened as he hastily picked up the heavy protective garment, pulling it over his head. Skinner reached over and tightened one of the straps securing the vest to the prince's body. "Okay, let's go. If you behave, I'll let you ride your own horse this time."

"Ride his own horse where?" Dana suddenly appeared behind them, dusty and dirty, shaking out a mass a red-gold tresses from under her helmet.

"Duane Barry was held captive by the Nuvega. He told me they are holding Samantha at Nostesto." Mulder told her as he watched her beautiful hair reflect the light from the burning tapers in their chamber.

"I just saw Duane in the medical chamber, Alainn. He's had a pretty severe head injury. I'm not certain you can trust him."

Mulder shook his head. "I don't think Duane would betray me, Dana." The sadness evident in the prince's eyes. "He's . . . he's always been grateful for what was done for he and his family. He should hate me. I've told him so, many times, but he continues to remain loyal to me."

"I hope you're right, peasant boy. Our lives will depend on it." Sir Walter glanced worriedly over at Dana, before turning back to the prince. "Why does that place sound so familiar to me? I know I've heard of Nostesto before but I can't quite place where?"

Mulder bit his bottom lip. A sure sign to the knight that he was not going to like what came out of that mouth next. "From the snitch, Sir Walter. The prince need fear the evil that comes from Caspion. He must take himself to Nostesto before the next harvest of Rodondo beet roots.' That next harvest will be taking place during the full moon, Sir Walter, and that is in just three days from now. We have to hurry."

Sir Walter rubbed a weary hand over his face. "What in the hell is a Rodondo beet root anyway?"

"In it's raw, natural state, it's a harmless vegetable, but once cooked it becomes a deadly poison," Dana said sadly as she stared intently at the knight. "There is a legend, Sir Walter, that says the juice from a freshly harvested Rodondo beet root must be rubbed on the tip of an arrow before it can be used to kill a king."

* * *   
Realm of Meridiem   
Road to Nostesto

Mulder pouted as he looked back at the full army that followed him. He had planned to sneak into the Nuvega camp to search for his sister. Now with this thundering herd behind him, they would be lucky to find even one old, deaf Nevega left in the encampment, let alone Samantha.

"I still don't see why we had to bring so many warriors with us." The prince questioned Sir Walter for what had to be the hundredth time. "I had a plan that did not include an army."

"Yeah, I can just imagine what kind of plan that was." Langly snorted. "Did it happen to involve one lone prince against the entire Nuvega invasion?"

Prince Fox turned to glare a the blond man, only to yelp in shock as he was snatched from his horse, and plopped down in front of Sir Walter. He felt the solid band of pure muscle that was the knight's arm tighten around his waist, and a soft whisper in his ear.

"Would you like to share your plan with me, peasant boy?"

"Uh . . .I don't think so. Not right now."

"Well then let me tell you how it's going to be. We are going to do this one strictly by the rules laid down by the Knight's Regulations for Engaging the Enemy. By the book, peasant boy. No standing up to yell at the enemy, no breaking ranks to divert their attention, no extra sword being pulled out of who knows where after you drop yours, and no sneaking away to explore their camp." He tightened his hold on the prince, making the younger man gasp for breath. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good, now we're almost to Lake Placidia, call the bigfoot."

"Auh-h-h-h, do I have to? We don't need them." The prince looked over his shoulder at the massive dwarf army trailing behind him. "The Nuvega are going to hear us coming from miles away, and I wanted to surprise them."

"I've figured out how you like to surprise' the enemy, peasant boy, so forget it. You will not risk your life today. Now call the bigfoot, and be careful how you do it. The Bruckman brothers are said to be in the area. That is, of course, unless you want three massive dragons leading the charge."

"Shit!" The prince closed his eyes, his smooth brow wrinkling in concentration. He opened wide, hazel eyes to look up at his military instructor. "They're on their way." He sulked.

"Good. Now stop wiggling. You're riding with me for a while."

* * *   
Western Edge of the Dark Woods   
Village of Nostesto

The former leprechaun village of Nostesto was hardly recognizable. The prince, Sir Walter and Dana lay on their bellies on a hill overlooking the devastated hamlet.

"They're completely destroyed Nostesto." Prince Fox whispered. "I thought the leprechaun were on their side."

"There's no real evidence of that, Fox." Dana reminded. "All we have is hearsay. It doesn't look like a voluntary alliance from here."

"You're right," Sir Walter pointed to a group of leprechaun being held in an filthy outdoor pen.

"Do you think those are a group of resisters or are all the leprechauns loyal to the crown?" Fox attempted to crawl a little closer for a better look, only to be abruptly hauled back by a big, strong hand on his belt.

"There's no way to know." Dana offered.

Prince Fox quickly made his decision. "Then we have to free all of them."

Sir Walter ran a hand over his hot, dirty face. "We can't do that, peasant boy. Just look at how many Nuvega are visible and that is probably only a small number of what is really encamped here. We don't have enough of an army for a full-out attack. It would be suicide."

"We can't just leave those leprechaun there." The prince said stubbornly. "You know what the Nuvega do to their prisoners. I'll go down there and release the locks on those pens. They won't be expecting a lone infiltrator."

"No," Sir Walter said, exasperation heavy in his voice. "They probably wouldn't think that one lone man would be stupid enough to walk in there all by himself. And think of their joy when they find out their idiot captive isn't just any idiot captive, but really an idiot prince."

The prince glared at the knight, who still had a stranglehold on the back of his belt. He opened his mouth to continue the argument when he was interrupted by the sorceress.

"Enough!" Dana pleaded. "You can discuss our brilliant prince's lack of common sense later. Trust me, it's an old argument that hasn't been resolved in over a thousand years. I really doubt it can be settled on this hillside today." She turned to the prince. "Fox, I want you to use your powers to tell us which inhabitants of the realm are near enough to help us."

Prince Fox closed his eyes. "Two more battalions of dwarf warriors have just joined our ranks. The bigfoot are less than an hour away."

"Are you sure they aren't Sir Spender's alien dwarfs, Fox?" Sir Walter found it hard to trust the dwarfs now that he knew they were not all loyal to the prince.

"They're ours," the prince sighed. "They're all talking about what a waste of clean air Kersh thinks I am. Oh shit! The Bruckman brothers are right behind them. At least it'll take them a while to get here, Bruce is feeling   
a little faint."

"Go deeper, Fox." Dana laid a soft hand on the prince's sleeve.

"A flock of geese are circling Lake Placidia. A large head of bisonbeef are grazing just over the rise. Three chameleons are trying to seduce a gypsy girl camped a few miles to the east. Unsuccessfully, of course. I swear, those guys never get lucky. Her brother is thinking about killing them, but isn't sure they're worth the effort."

"Back to business, Alainn." Dana chided.

The prince opened his eyes. "That's pretty much it, Dana. A few plagerbees, a couple of stray dogs, and one vampire sleeping in an old, abandoned barn. Everything else has left the area because of the Nevega."

Dana flipped over on her back, staring up at the bright blue sky. "Can you tell if the leprechauns are loyal to you?"

"I tried. Some are and some aren't. Leprechauns are ruled by gold, Dana. They would do anything to protect what they have, and to acquire more. The Nuvega have promised them great riches for their support but not all of them believe the lie."

"Can you cast a spell, Dana?" Sir Walter turned to lie beside her, keeping one restraining hand resting on his tricky little prince.

"Not on the Nuvega. I've never been able to do that. Magic just doesn't work on them for some unknown reason."

The prince shifted his eyes down to his companions. "Let's spread out our forces to surround the camp. We should be able to adequately cover at least three sides, then I'll sneak down and open that gate. Maybe some of those prisoners can tell me where they're holding Samantha."

"Listen here, you little brat, we've already gone over this and . . ."

Dana grabbed Sir Walter's arm as he started after Fox. "Wait! It really isn't that bad of a plan."

"What? Are you out of your mind, Dana? We can't let him go down there alone. I forbid it!"

"Calm down, Sliabh. I didn't say I agreed with the whole plan. Alainn, I want you to spread out the dwarfs just as you suggested. Then you are to call the bisonbeef and have them stampede from the north. While the Nevega are busy defending themselves from a million tons of steak on the hoof, we go in, free the leprechauns, and try to locate Samantha. But Alainn, I want you to listen to me and listen well."

"Yes, Dana?" The prince asked nervously.

"We aren't even sure Samantha is here. Duane Barry was a very delusional man when he got back to our headquarters." She held up her hand to stop the prince's comment. "I know you want to believe him but I'm not sure we can. So my question to you is, are you willing to free the leprechauns who are quite obviously prisoners of the Nevega, and take a chance on not finding your sister. We may well not have time for both."

The prince looked down on the pen where a few of the Nuvega had ventured over, and were using their long whips on the cringing leprechaun prisoners.

The prince dropped his head to his chest sadly. "They're subjects of the Meridiem, and I am their prince. I have no choice but to free them if I can."

Sir Walter rubbed the prince's back in slow, soothing circles. "I'm proud of you, peasant boy, and we <will> get your sister back, if not today, then someday. You have my solemn promise on that."

Prince Fox nodded his head as Sir Walter pulled him into a quick hug, placing a kiss on his temple. "Now, let's go free those despicable little leprechauns. I never did meet one I liked." Sir Walter grumbled under his breath.

"You actually knew a leprechaun? You believe in them?" Fox asked in amazement.

"It was long time ago." Sir Walter mumbled. "I had always convinced myself it was just a bad dream, and refused to look at the experience too closely. Now, of course," he glared at the prince. "I don't have that luxury, thanks to you."

"Why is it my fault? And, I would think you'd want to know the truth!"

"Not everybody wants to know the truth', peasant boy. Some of us would have been just as happy to live our lives in blissful ignorance, never having met chicken thieving werewolves or fortune telling dragons!"

"Why don't you two," Dana hissed, "just send a messenger down there to tell the Nevega that we're here, then you won't have to yell so loudly."

"Sorry." The prince turned away, arms crossed tightly over his chest, lower lip out in a full pout.

"Stop sulking, Alainn. He's helping you, isn't he? You can't expect him to want to delve into every mystery the way you do. Give the guy a break. If Sliabh had his way, we'd spend every lifetime with our feet propped up in front of a nice, warm fire. A place for everything and everything in its place."

"That's boring." Fox pouted.

"No, actually it's nice. We've gotten to do that a couple of times. A nice normal life. Well, as normal as can be expected with you around, Alainn. You do tend to attract the unexpected. And I swear you could find trouble while sitting in a church full of DisCol Monks. Now, enough of this, do you have everyone in place, Alainn?"

The prince closed his eyes for a moment, then nodded his head at her.

"Let's go, boys."

The plan went as smoothly as the water of Lake Placidia. The Nuvega scrambled madly to avoid the hooves of the thundering bisonbeef as they stampeded into the middle of the village. Pure chaos ensued, giving the dwarf and bigfoot army clear shots at the flustered Nuvega.

As the arrows flew all around them, the prince, the knight and the sorceress made their way to the now unguarded pens that held the hapless leprechauns. As the prince worked his opening tool on the padlock, he was swarmed by the group of funny-looking little green men, dressed in green from head to toe, all bald with a fringe of curly, chartreuse hair bushing out over pointy green ears.

"Well! It certainly took you long enough!" One of the leprechauns snarled.

Mulder looked up in surprise. "Excuse me?"

"To get here." Another one piped up. "What took you so long?"

"Yeah, prince, we're subjects of the realm too, you know! We have rights!"

"We should have been rescued in a timely fashion."

"Yeah, you took too long. We demand compensation from the crown!"

"How about I compensate you by saving your lives?" Mulder growled.

"No! We demand gold!"

"Yeah, lots of gold!"

"I don't have any gold," the prince said trying to maintain his calm.

"Of course you do. All princes have gold."

"Well, I don't. Not anymore." The prince grunted as he pried at the rusted lock.

"Illegal use of realm funds! We demand an audit!"

"I didn't . . .oh, never mind." Mulder was beginning to understand why his father always refused to seat a leprechaun on the royal council.

"Who's your pretty friend?" One of little men smiled and waved to Dana.

"Stay away from her!"

"Oh? Something going on there, little prince? Something you haven't told your loyal subjects? Conspiracy! Conspiracy!"

"Just shut up and let me get this done." The prince worked frantically on the lock. He really wanted to get away from these obnoxious little men.

Dana hurried up to the prince. "What's taking so long?"

A leering little leprechaun spit on his hand, and ran it through his wild fringe of hair. He then stuck that same damp hand out to Dana. She tried desperately to ignore it without being overly rude.

"Ethan Cobblestone at your service, my dear," said the owner of the gracious but unsanitary hand. "And what might I call you?"

"Dead - if the prince here doesn't work his magic faster than he is right now."

"There, got it!" Mulder quickly pulled open the gate so the dozen or so little green men could scramble out, and run for the hills. Ethan Cobblestone held back, still hoping to impress the lovely sorceress.

As the prince raised his head to try to shoo the little man away from Dana, he spotted a beautiful dark haired woman waving at him from across the road

"Samantha!"

Dana heard the prince call his lost sister's name just as he sprinted out into the open to run to her. The sorceress pushed Ethan out of her way as she made a desperate lung for the imperiled prince.

Sir Walter saw what was happening just as the prince and Dana cleared the edge of the pen, and were out in the open in the street. Mulder pulled up short as the vision that was his sister suddenly changed shape to became that of a gray Nevega warrior, his weapon already up and ready to shoot the unprotected prince.

As the arrow left the Nevega's crossbow, Dana threw herself in front of Prince Fox. The poisoned arrow seemed to hover magically for a moment before driving deep into Dana's chest, right through the center of her heart.

The prince heard her scream as she fell lifelessly to the ground. He dropped to his knees by her body just as a cluster of arrows flew by where his head had been only seconds before.

"No-o-o-o-o-o!" The prince wailed as Sir Walter attempted to drag both the anguished prince and Dana's body back to safety. Several dwarf warriors quickly arrived at the scene of the disaster, lifting Dana as Sir Walter pulled the prince up off the ground, forcefully dragging him away, as he struggled and shouted threats at the advancing Nevega.

The prince was fighting Sir Walter with all his strength, sobbing for Dana, insane with grief. The knight tried desperately to hang onto the hysterical prince, as he kept both of their heads down as a shower of arrows surrounded their position.

"Stop it, Fox!"

"Dana! I got Dana killed! Let me go! I have to go back. They have to die . . .all of them. They have to pay for shooting Dana!"

Sir Walter tried to shake some sense into the prince, but he was too far gone in his aguish and need for revenge, to listen to the knight. Sir Walter saw no other way, he raised one huge, beefy fist and swung it forward to connect solidly with the prince's smooth jaw. Mulder dropped like a rock into the arms of his protector. Sir Walter knew, without a doubt, that the blow had hurt himself more than it could ever hurt the prince.

Sir Walter threw the younger man over his shoulder and quickly followed the way that the dwarfs had carried the sorceress. The knight's large black horse waited patiently for him to mount as he deposited Fox's unconscious body over the saddle in front of him.

Someone had pulled the arrow from Dana's heart, and she was also lying face down over the front of Frohike's saddle.

"Ride!" Byers yelled as the true king's army retreated under a cloud of dust and sorrow.

At the crossroads, they thought it best to split up, hoping to allude anyone following them. The bigfoot turned south toward Lake Placidia while the dwarf army scattered into the Dark Woods to the north. Sir Walter and The Three road swiftly on toward the Enorus Mountains and their secret cave.

They rode in silence for several hours before stopping in a heavily sheltered glade not far from the resistance headquarters. The prince had regained consciousness a few minutes earlier, and Sir Walter couldn't stand his desolate sobbing any longer. He halted his horse, and pulled the young man down into his arms, hugging him tightly to his chest as they both sank to the ground.

The knight looked over to see Langly and Frohike gently lower Dana's body to the soft grass where she lay still and motionless.

The ground began to shake as the Bruckman Brothers hurried up to the weary and grieving group.

"The Nuvega aren't following you." Clyde huffed, nearly out of breath. "We're not sure why but they suddenly turned back toward Nostesto after only a few miles. It was almost as if they were called back for some reason. You're safe for now."

The huge dragon lowered his head to get a closer look at the sobbing prince who was all but sitting in the knight's lap, his face buried in Sir Walter's broad chest. Clyde then walked slowly over to where Dana lay, being diligently watched over by The Three. Much to their surprise the dragon again lowered his great head, this time gently nudging the beautiful sorceress's still body. When he got no response, he nudged her again. This time, her thick lashes began to flutter, wide blue eyes finally opening and focusing on the sweet, homely face of the giant dragon.

"See, I told you," the dragon smiled down at her. "You don't die."

She smiled back at him, just as the prince threw himself into her arms. She gently stroked his hair as he cried on her breast. "Oh Alainn, I told you I would never leave you. Where was your faith?"

"I . . .I was afraid you just told me you were immortal so I. . . I wouldn't wor. . . worry about you."

Dana looked up into Sir Walter's happy, tear-stained face. "I suppose you didn't believe me either?"

"Let's just say, I'm feeling very relieved right now." Sir Walter answered.

* * *   
Sir Walter's Chambers   
That Afternoon

"You know, there's no reason for me to be in this bed. I'm fine." Dana pointed out to the two men who stood towering over her.

"Just rest for a little while, Dana." Sir Walter implored. "You gave us quite a scare and I, for one, want to keep an eye on you."

"Dana, why can't you die?" Mulder pleaded, as she rolled her eyes in annoyance.

" Please," he begged, "I can't stand this any longer. I have to know the truth."

The sorceress settled herself more comfortably on her pillows, and looked up at the beautiful prince and the handsome knight, both staring back at her with such love and devotion on their faces. "Oh Alainn, you and your truth. It's been the death of you more than once."

She looked into his wide, beseeching, hazel eyes and sighed heavily. "Oh all right. This happens every time, I should just tell you both this story at the very beginning and save myself the aggravation. Come, sit with me in our bed, and I'll tell you the story of how the sorceress gained her immortality."

When the knight and the prince were settled cozily on either side of her, she took their hands in hers.

"Now some of this you may have already heard but I'm going to start at the beginning anyway. In the Before Time, myself, you Alainn and you, my Sliabh, were warriors bestowed with a sacred vow to uphold the edicts handed down by the elders of the realm." She squeezed their hands a little tighter as she continued.

"It was an sad and evil time, and there was much danger for those who chose to follow the path of justice. We had angered our enemies with what we had discovered of their evil deeds, and they punished us for our impudence. We were given the most menial and despised tasks, scorned by our peers and despised by our masters, even separated from each other at times. It was a very difficult time for all of us, and we were all filled with despair."

She looked at the two beloved men to make sure she had their complete attention. "During one of the times that we had been forced apart, I was sent to bring in an sinister man who was suspected of killing several innocents. It was dangerous work, and I longed to have you by my side, Alainn, but our enemies would not allow you to accompany and protect me." She glanced over at her beautiful and brilliant prince who smiled back at her.

"I did find the accused man but my sorceress powers told me that he was not the killer. As I talked with this poor lonely man, trying to get to the heart of the matter, another of our own warriors burst upon the scene and shot at this man, Fellig. He missed and hit me instead. As I lay there dying, I saw the angel of death come for me, but I closed my eyes, and Alfred took my place. It is as simple as that. I cannot die because death chose another on that day."

"Perhaps you could find someone else, and take their place, Dana." Sir Walter offered, tears running freely down his cheeks.

"Perhaps. The man who took my place considered his own immortality a curse. I see it as a blessing. As long as I still live, I can reunite the three of us so we can fulfill our destinies during each lifetime. Were I to die and be reborn as you are, who knows if we could find each other or even recognize ourselves. I'm not willing to take that risk. And now, " she smiled at them. "I'm getting so good at this, I can feel the minute each of you is born. I go to where Fox is first because he must always be protected, and then when the time is right, Sliabh, you always come to find us."

Each man moved to kiss her gently on opposite cheeks, as two sets of eyes, one hazel and one dark brown, shed tears of both joy and sadness for the woman who was their very heart.

* * *   
Resistance Headquarters   
Tool Barn

Krycek pulled the prince down beside him, to land hard on his butt in the dirt. "I can't believe you've lived in the realm all your life, and have never tasted Elfin Twilight Wine. It's mighty powerful and magical stuff."

"That stuff's not magic, it's poison, Alex. Sir Walter warned me that it would rot my brain. Where did you get it anyway?"

"From a friend. And Sir Walter just wants to make sure you don't have any fun. Come on lighten up, little prince, it's not good to get shit-faced alone. And I think we both deserve it today."

Mulder buried his face in his hands. "I don't deserve to have fun, Alex, I got Dana killed. And besides, I'm the future king of the realm, and I have responsibilities to my subjects."

"Your subjects will be fine for a while and so is Dana. She's immortal, Fox, not even hanging around you can kill her. I heard she's already left for that hospital of hers in Aspan Mia. It was attacked today by the dwarfs."

"That can't be true! Kersh and his people don't like me very much but they would never attack the brownie village. You must be mistaken."

"Wasn't Kersh's men. Some other group that Spender brought in from beyond the Outlands. It seems there is other life out there after all. We were foolish to think that we were the only beings in existence."

"I always knew we weren't alone."

"Well, you always were too smart for your own good, and too virtuous, too. Here, drink up." Alex handed Mulder a goblet filled to the brim with a strange glowing, green liquid.

"Ew-e-e-e! What's in that? I don't really like green stuff, Alex."

"It's not made from asparagus, if that's what you're worried about. Not one healthy thing in this little drink, I can assure you of that fact."

Mulder put the goblet to his mouth, and took a tentative sip. Immediately his eyes began to burn and tear up, and he started couching and gagging, his throat on fire. "Shit!"

"Yeah, good isn't it?"

Several goblets later Mulder didn't care in the least that he was ingesting green fire. In fact, he was sure that he didn't care about anything as he reminisced with Alex about the good times they had growing up in the palace. Making fun of their old tutors, and giggling over how they had intimidated the reluctant men into educating Alex right along with the prince.

Without warning, the heavy wooden door of the tool shed slammed back against the wall. Mulder shielded his eyes against the glare of the late afternoon sun that framed their unexpected visitor. Then, much to Alex's amazement, the prince started doing a very good imitation of a crab, scrambling back against the wall, his eyes wide with fear.

"Sir Walter! I . . .I can explain everything. We, uh, that is . . ."

Suddenly Sir Walter bend over holding his knees, gasping for breath as he laughed so hard that tears ran down his face in great, shining streams.

"Got...gotcha!" He stuttered through his laugher.

"Dammit!" Mulder exploded as he plopped back down, sighing in relief. "It's that damn chameleon. I thought I was a dead man. Eddie, I swear if you don't cut that shit out, I'm going to resurrect the guillotine just for you."

Eddie VanBlundht chuckled one more time before turning back into his roly-poly little self. He seated himself beside the prince, and reached for the bottle of elfin twilight. "Sorry I'm late, Alex, I was trying to seduce that faerie-girl, Melissa. She's really weird, but boy is she hot."

Mulder stopped mid drink to stare at the man sitting beside him. "You were trying to get laid using Sir Walter's body? Do you realize what he'll do to you if he finds out? That was <not> smart, Eddie."

"Yeah, you're right. I have much better luck using yours."

Mulder choked on his twilight wine. Alex helpfully thumped him on the back.

"Wh . . what? You change into me to . . . to . . .to . . ."

"Sure. Every woman wants to get laid by a prince, and if it takes kissing a frog or two and they're willing, what's the harm? And besides it's not like you're making good use of that body or anything. So why shouldn't I?" Eddie assumed his best innocent expression.

"I use my body! I'll have you know I have two . . ."

Eddie settled back, pulling one leg into a bent position, and swinging the other leg up over his knee. He began to swing it gently back and forth. As he did, he let it take on new shapes. First it was a frog's shiny, green leg, then it turned into a black cow's cloven Hoof, then a chicken's sharply-clawed foot. Alex couldn't take his eyes off of that leg. It was horrifying and fascinating at the same time, like watching a loaded wagon go off the side of a mountain. He really wanted to look away, knew he should, but he just couldn't make himself do it. Frog, cow, chicken. Frog, cow, chicken.

"Yeah. Yeah." Eddie interrupted the prince. "I know, you have two lovers. A beautiful but deadly sorceress, who quite frankly could scare the shit out of anybody. And a bossy, dour, over-bearing, tight-assed, arrogant knight who <does> scare the shit out of everybody." Eddie tipped his goblet at the prince with a wicked and knowing grin.

"Sir Walter isn't dour." Mulder pouted.

"Somebody who looks like you - a prince, yet. You could have anybody you wanted. But not you, no-o-o-o, you spend all your time chasing little green men and making goo-goo eyes at Sir Walter. What a loser!"

"The Nuvega aren't green, they're gray." Mulder said morosely as he gulped down his full goblet of the poisonous elfin wine. A rotted mind would be a blessing at this point.

"Nuvega! See what I mean? The Nuvega don't even exist, everybody knows that! I was talking about leprechauns, for pete's sake." Eddie shook his head sadly. "You are one pathetic piece of work, you know that?"

Mulder slumped back against the rough, log wall and watched as Eddie VanBlundht's leg swung - frog, cow, chicken - frog, cow, chicken - frog, cow, chicken. It was making Mulder dizzy, and just a little nauseous. He wished the chameleon would settle on one body and leave it at that. Well, as long as it wasn't the prince's body he settled on. He wondered miserably just how many women thought they'd slept with him now.

"Where are the other chameleons, Eddie. Are they fighting in the war?" Alex asked, trying to change the subject before he had to save the prince from a suicide attempt brought on by Eddie's keen, but tactless, observations.

"No. We make love, not war. With all the big, good-looking knights out fighting, it's easy pickin's with the ladies." Eddied smiled smugly, making Mulder roll his eyes.

Unfortunately the eye-roll sent the prince into a full tilt to his right, he ended up lolling drunkenly against Alex's shoulder. A delighted Krycek carefully maneuvered them around until the completely inebriated prince was wrapped in Alex's arms, resting snugly against his chest.

The three sat in silence for a long time, consuming the highly potent elfin wine, and lost in their own thoughts. Eddie pondered how to successfully score with the fairies. Alex pondered how to successfully score with the prince. Mulder pondered how many paternity petitions he might be facing.

A slightly green-tinted chameleon suddenly rose rather shakily to his feet. Swaying before the blurred eyes of his nearly comatose drinking partners. "I have to . . .uh, go . . ." And a gagging Eddie ran for the door.

A smugly satisfied prince, who had risen from Alex's warm chest to gleefully watch the ailing Eddie run out the door, suddenly felt himself being pushed to the ground, his hands held tightly above his head. He looked up into bright green, lust-filled eyes. The prince tried to form a protest through his numb lips but before the words could escape, his objections were swallowed by Krycek's hot searing mouth covering his own. He could feel Alex's hard body lying heavily between his spread legs, as Alex ground his erection into Mulder's responding body.

The door slammed back against the wall once more, Sir Walter's huge form blocking the light from the room. Alex raised his head from the now dazed prince's lips, and smiled up at the chameleon.

"Give it up, Eddie." Krycek smirked. "We're not falling for that one again."

Eddie reached down and pulled the man up by his shirt until he was dangling off the ground, and peering straight into a pair of enraged brown eyes. "Really, Alex? And just what is it that you aren't falling for?"

Skinner looked down as the prince flopped around on the floor, trying desperately to bring himself into an upright position.

"What's wrong with him?" Skinner growled, shaking the young man he still held captive in his hands.

"Dr . . .dr . . .drunk!" Alex finally managed to get the word out of his mouth, his own vision focusing and then blurring on the angry face so close to his own.

"Drunk? On what?"

"Elfin Twilight."

"What?" Sir Walter started shaking the hapless Krycek again, finally letting Alex's body drop unceremoniously to the floor, where he sat shaking his head trying to clear the fog from his addled brain.

Skinner reached down to help the prince to his feet. Mulder rose easily enough but then just stood there swaying on his feet like a new-born colt. Skinner sighed heavily, bent, and lifted Mulder up and over his shoulder. He placed a firm arm around the prince's thighs, before returning his full attention to the handsome young man sprawled at his feet.

"Hey listen, don't be too hard on him." Krycek slurred as he struggled to his feet, the world spinning around him. "This wasn't his fault. He was upset about that not-dead witch of his, and I was comforting him."

"With your mouth?" Sir Walter growled.

Krycek grinned at him impishly. "I was jus' makin' sure he was breathin' all right, that's all. Besides, I wanted to find out if it was better than kissing a frog."

"And was it?"

"Oh, yeah!"

"Well Alex, I'm glad you at least enjoyed yourself because you're going to pay for it now." Skinner reached down and hauled Alex the rest of the way to his feet, dragging him out the door and back toward the castle.

Sir Walter was sure they made quite a spectacle with the prince hanging upside down over his shoulder singing happily, while Alex stumbled along beside him.

* * *   
Sir Walter's Private Chambers   
Three Hours Later

Mulder buried his face in the soft, comforting mattress of their bed. He still felt a little nauseated. Sir Walter had not been happy about the Elfin Twilight, and had forced pot after pot of strong coffee down he and Alex, while he delivered a scalding lecture on the lack of intelligence necessary for two humans to consume wine meant for a different species.

Then he allowed them to throw up for a while.

The prince looked over to see Alex beside him, green eyes staring at him intently from only a few inches away. He could tell Alex was furious with Sir Walter's domineering attitude but the prince didn't know what he could say that would make a difference at this point.

Fox turned his head to look up over his shoulder. He could see Sir Walter angrily pacing the floor at the foot of the bed, muttering to himself.

" . . .a knight superior of the realm, for heaven's sake . . .be in battle at this very minute. . . fighting for my king . . . distinguishing myself . . .but no, my king is a . . .have half a mind to . . .misbegotten brat . . .not me . ..deal with two brats . . .ungrateful peasant boy . . .what did I ever do . . ."

He had been doing this for some time now. The prince had stopped trying to hear what was being said. On a <good> day Sir Walter was scary, in a full-fledged rant his was terrifying. Mulder shuddered as he also took in the sight of he and Alex's bare bottoms high in the air over the foot-rail of the bed.

"Keep your eyes to the front, peasant boy!"

The prince quickly turned his head back, this time not daring to look at Alex, as he once more buried his face in the safety of the mattress.

"Tell me Krycek," Sir Walter finally growled. "What did you think the advantage would be to Meridiem to have a brain-damaged king?"

"Make all the council meetings shorter?" Alex suggested. "Ouch!"

The strap had come out of nowhere, and the burning stripe across Alex's upturned bottom stung like fire.

Mulder winced, waiting for the strap to fall against his own defenseless bottom. He was so ready that he actually flinched when the sharp retort sounded in the cavernous room. But again it was Alex who cried out in pain, only to yelp again a moment later as the third lash fell on his naked butt.

"And tell me, Alex, after the prince became senseless, were you going to kill him? Help out your friend, Sir Spender?"

"Oh-h-h! Shit! Ouch! No! Ouch! He's . . .Ah-h-h-h, not my friend!"

Skinner looked down at the two bottoms laid before him for punishment. Alex's was already glowing red and nicely striped by the strap. And the prince, who hated having a whipping boy, was contracting the muscles of his bottom every time Alex yelped. If this continued, Sir Walter, wasn't even sure he would have to whip Fox to bring him to tears.

"So Alex." Skinner smiled as Krycek groaned at being addressed again so soon. "What <were> you planning to do with a falling-down-drunk prince?"

"I wasn't going to . . .Ouch! Oh-h-h! Oh! Fuck him! Ah-h-h-h! I was going to fuck him!"

The prince's head snapped up to stare incredulously at his partner in crime.

"Oh don't look at me like that," Alex winced at the prince. "You had to know I've loved you for years."

Mulder just stared at Alex, blinking wide, hazel eyes. Krycek shook his head sadly. "It's why I had to leave your chambers, Fox. When we got older, I couldn't sleep with you and not touch you in that way."

"You should have told me, Alex. I would have . . .Ouch! Oh! Oh! Oh!"

The strap flashed down on the unprepared, bare bottom of Prince Fox. "You would have what, peasant boy?"

Alex looked over his shoulder to watch the strap kiss the prince's beautiful bottom, making it dance in place over the foot-rail of the big bed.

"Ouch! I don't know! Oh, that hurts!"

Sir Walter snapped the strap over Alex backside a couple of times. Now he had two frantically wiggling butts to entertain him while he gave this situation some thought. He resumed his pacing for a few minutes, keeping one eye on the fascinating show going on over the foot rail of the bed. Two beautiful male bottoms, one pink, one red, shimming and shaking, trying to ease some of the burning sting Sir Walter had inflicted with his strap. It was quite   
a sight.

Sir Walter put his hands on his hips. "Alex, I'm going to let you take the prince." He hesitated while Mulder let out a little choking sound. "But only when I am with the two of you. Do you agree to that?"

"Yes, sir." Alex said suspiciously. This was just too good to be true.

"And no more getting him drunk and kissing him when you think nobody is looking."

"All right."

"And you, peasant boy, do you agree to that?"

"I . . .uh, he . . .but I haven't . . .with you . . .I mean I only. . .what if. . . I don't know if I am . . .uh, this could be . . .uh, you . . ."

"Good. I agree as well. Problem solved." Skinner smiled to himself. Solved so very well. "Now Alex, for getting the prince drunk and trying to take advantage of him, twelve strokes on your bare bottom."

"I thought you were finished!"

"You thought wrong. Peasant boy, for risking you health again, six strokes on your bare butt."

"Why does he got more?" The prince protested. "I'm as guilty as he is."

"Fox . . ." Krycek began.

Sir Walter ran a hand over his face in exasperation. "Don't even try to reason with him, Alex. He will just drive you back to that sludge you were drinking earlier. You're only getting six, peasant boy, and if you say one more word, I'm going to increase Alex's strokes."

Mulder instantly closed his mouth and buried his face again. Alex looked up at the big knight with the most amazed, what the hell' look on his face that Skinner almost laughed out loud.

"Surely you must have known how he felt about Duane Barry's whippings, Alex. You lived in the same room with him when you were kids." Skinner pointed out.

"He always made me leave through the secret panel whenever Duane was due to be punished for him. All I ever knew was that he gave that whiny brat all of our really good stuff. Used to really piss me off."

Skinner smiled, "Well today you're going to take six extra strokes for him, and I bet in return he'll give you some really good stuff."

As the hateful strap snapped and crackled across Alex's tender skin, blistering and scorching it cruelly, Alex made sure he screamed and cried for all he was worth. He wanted the prince to feel really guilty, and be very appreciative. Yes indeed.

And while the prince cried and squirmed through his six strokes, Alex stroked his hair and whispered soothingly in his ear.

For his part, Sir Walter, looked down on two well-punished pretty boys who were going to make this afternoon one he was sure he would remember for quite some time.

"Okay, get up. Fox, I want you over in that corner." As the prince moved sullenly to obey, Skinner smiled at Alex's disappointed look.

"No, peasant boy, turn around so you're facing me." The prince turned around, putting his burning butt up against the cool stone wall, his face a mask of confusion.

"Now Alex," Sir Walter looked at the other man, "Why don't you go stand in the corner, too."

Comprehension dawned instantly in Alex's handsome face as he hurried to pin Mulder tightly against the wall, smothering his face with tiny, wet kisses, his hands feeling every available inch of smooth, muscled skin.

Sir Walter slowly undressed as he watched the two beautiful men in the corner. The prince would be all right with this, Sir Walter would make certain it was an enjoyable new experience for him. And Alex deserved a break. It was a terrible thing to desire something so beautiful, for so long, and know it could never be yours. So, Sir Walter was willing to share the prince. Or, more accurately, he was willing to let these two beauties share him. The knight smiled in anticipation.

The knight sprawled on the bed, gently stroking his own aroused shaft, as Alex Krycek eagerly ravished a dazed and weak-kneed prince.

"Alex," Skinner called. "Why don't you finish what you've started over here on the bed before you have to pick him up off the floor."

Krycek immediately headed for the bed, dragging Mulder right behind him. He pushed the prince down into Sir Walter's arms before crawling in on the other side to resume his seduction of a prince.

Sir Walter pulled Mulder's pretty face over so that he too could kiss those lush lips, while Krycek moved down to lap at sensitive nipples. Mulder moaned deep in his throat.

Skinner began to pluck at the nipple not being attended to by Alex and smiled as Krycek raised his head and began kissing the knight passionately as he too pinched and kneaded a royal nipple.

Mulder opened his eyes as the two men kissed right above his head. He moaned again and reached for the two big cocks so conveniently located beside him. He ardently stroked both of them at the same time, and was rewarded with moans of pleasure from above him.

The bed became a tangle of long smooth legs and well-muscled arms as all three men sought to pleasure each other. Alex opened his eyes to see a pair of beautiful hazel eyes and a lop-sided grin leaning over him. He could see that Sir Walter was on his knees behind Fox, and was handing the prince a jar of oil

Alex hissed as the prince's long fingers found his opening and slicked it heavily with the scented lubricant.

"Fox! Oh Fox!" Krycek hissed through a haze of pure pleasure.

"Yes, Alex?" Mulder purred back at him.

"I . . .I've wanted this for so long."

"I'm sorry, you should have told me." And Alex surrendered to the unbelievable sensation of the Prince of Meridiem slipping his engorged shaft deep inside him. Mulder began to slowly rock, "Don't come yet, Alex. Wait for us."

Alex could only nod as he heard Mulder moan above him. He assumed Fox had, himself, just been filled by Sir Walter's huge shaft. Alex opened his eyes and watched as the knight pulled Fox back tight against his chest to kiss his neck, and then that little mole on his cheek, and finally claim that luscious mouth for a deep, passionate kiss. Alex felt his own arousal increase at the intensity of that kiss. And at that moment he felt some new emotion swell in his chest for this brave knight, who dared to love a prince, and cared not who knew of that love. This was a man worthy of Alex's loyalty and respect.

Sir Walter began to pump into the prince, pulling almost all the way out to instantly push his way back inside the hot, warm, beautiful body. Each time he did this, it forced the prince to follow suit with Alex. Not that Mulder or Alex minded at all. It was one of the most erotic experiences either of them had ever had.

Alex felt a long elegant hand wrap tightly around his own cock, then was surprised when a bigger, rougher hand covered the one already there. His shaft completely and tightly surround, Alex felt himself reach the edge of his resistance.

"Now, Alex." He heard the prince whisper, his own breath coming in short pants. Alex needed no other encouragement as he felt the world explore into a white-hot shower of bright, blazing stars.

Alex slowly got his breath under control. He opened his eyes to find Prince Fox sprawled bonelessly across his chest, and Sir Walter lying beside him, smiling like he'd just inherited the kingdom. Maybe he had.

Krycek lifted one leaden hand, and poked at the prince.

"Wha'?"

"Just making sure I hadn't killed a king. I hear they still draw and quarter you for that."

"Nah, cut off your head." Fox mumbled sleepily.

"Oh well, that's a comfort."

Krycek smiled down at the dark head resting on his chest. He then turned to smile his gratitude at Sir Walter. The big knight smiled back for a moment and then closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around the two beautiful men who now shared his bed.

The End Part 9

 

* * *

 

Knight Time in the Realm - Part 10  
By: DiAnn  
  
Rating: NC17 - SLASH/ language/ mild violence  
Category: AU / Fantasy / BDSM / m/m Slash  
Warning: Mulder-Skinner Slash/ Sk/Sc/M.  
If you don't like this kind of thing, or you are underage, go somewhere else . . . Please! I don't want to hear from you and I don't want to hear from your Mama.  
Spoiler: Through Season 6.  
Summary: Alternate Universe - Kings and palaces and handsome soldiers for hire.  
Disclaimer: I do not, nor ever will, own Mulder, Scully, Skinner, Krycek or anyone else from the X-Files. I am borrowing them without permission and am obviously not receiving money for this stuff. We all know who they really belong to, CC, Fox and lots of other people but again, not me.  
Special thanks to Nicole who corrects my commas, asks all the right questions, and demands exacting explanations.  
DiAnn's Page can be found at Mulder Torture Anonymous: [archivist's note: website address given by author is no longer valid]

* * *

Knight Time in the Realm - Part 10  
By: DiAnn

Realm of Meridiem  
Resistance Headquarters

"This is all my fault."

The prince stared around the large cavern which had now become a combination strategy room and overflow for the hospital. Sick and injured warriors covered every inch of the floor. Most were sleeping peacefully, thanks to a drought made by Dana but several were awake and moaning softly.

They didn't know that each of their pain filled pleas tore their prince apart.

"You're not responsible, peasant boy, Spender did this."

Prince Fox looked up into the eyes of Sir Walter. "I could have . . ."

"Could have what? Given up your crown without a fight? Gone to the Isle of Marvinya to live out your days in exile while your people suffered and died under Spender's rule? Betrayed your country and yourself?"

"No! I . . .I just . . ."

"Feel each of their wounds yourself, and would gladly suffer their pain for them if you could? I know. They know too. That's why they fight this war. Sir Spender pays his knights well for their loyalty . . ."

"With my gold." The prince interjected bitterly.

"Yes, with your gold. But your warriors fight because their cause is just."

"Many have died for this so-called just cause." The prince whispered to his big military instructor. "As Dana says you have done so many times before."

"Please no talk of that past life thing today. Dana's stories are fascinating, but truth be told, they give me a headache."

"Even the one where we were shipwrecked, and spent that lifetime as the only inhabitants of a tropical island paradise, eating sweet, exotic fruits and making love on the white sand in the moonlight. As I recall you were a bit insatiable after she told us that story."

"Yes, I did like that tale until she got to the part where you decided that we were deliberately marooned there as part of an evil conspiracy, built a huge bonfire to signal passing ships and burned down half the island."

"She said it grew back eventually." The prince pouted.

"She also said I kept your bottom so hot you couldn't sit down for a month for that little trick."

"A bully in every lifetime. You must be so proud."

"And you must think you need a good tanning before breakfast today. You're lucky I don't upend you right here. Give these men something to remember besides their war injuries. I swear you are the . . ."

"Uh, my lord?" The little boy eyed the big knight who was shouting at his prince.

Mulder was more than ready for a change of subject. "Royce, am I glad to see you."

Sir Walter chuckled as he looked down at the small boy standing wide -eyed in front of them. "I just bet you are, peasant boy. We'll continue this discussion in our chambers this evening, Prince Fox. You can count on it." Smiling again as the prince winced. "Now if you both will excuse me, I'll be getting back to my duties." Mulder took a few moments to watch the big, handsome man walk away. The prince turned his attention back to Royce.

"Why does Sir Walter call you peasant boy', my lord?"

"When we met for the first time I wasn't dressed as a prince, so now he uses the term to remind me that he still thinks of me as someone he can sp . ..well, he uses that name to keep me humble."

"A humble prince? Most odd, my lord. And the sorceress Dana, why does she call you Alainn?"

"Uh well," the prince blushed to the roots of his hair. "It's from the ancient language of her ancestors. It means . . .well, it means beautiful'. She calls Sir Walter, Sliabh. That means mountain'."

Royce giggled. "Men aren't called beautiful, that's supposed to be for women, but she's right about Sir Walter. He is as big as a mountain."

"And twice as inflexible, Royce. So anyway, I'm glad to see you, it's been a while. Is Lady Marcella keeping you busy with your lessons?"

"Yes, my lord, but I still don't see what reading has to do with being a good soldier," the boy sulked. "And I don't like that book you brought for me from the palace when you retrieved the maps. It's hard to read and mushy, too. All nothing but pretty, whining princes and timid, swooning ladies." Royce suddenly realized he was speaking to one of those princes. "Oh sorry, my lord, I didn't mean that you whine! Well, only around Sir Walter."

"Sir Walter could make anybody whine." Mulder chucked at the boy's reddened face. "The Shakes-Pear Chronicles are some of the greatest stories ever told, Royce. At one time, those tomes were reserved only for the children of royalty. I've even heard it said that the original copies came from the Before Time, saved from the great fires by the forefathers of the Holy DisCol Warrior Monks themselves. Our written and oral language is based on those ancient works, although some scholars say the spoken language is no longer recognizable as such. You should feel honored to study that book."

"Yes, my lord." The boy didn't feel honored in the least, he still didn't think he needed to know how to read to be a royal guard and protect King Fox. "But they aren't even realistic. All they have in them are humans, no elves or dwarfs or anybody. Why would Mr. Shakes-Pear write stories with just humans in them?"

"There are still some realms, Royce, where only one race lives and doesn't even know the others exist. And some species are frightened by certain humans, and hide from them. Sir Walter, with all his travels to fight in foreign lands, didn't want to believe that other than humans existed until he came to Meridiem and was forced to deal with them, and them with him."

"Well, I'm sure he does scare most everyone to death." The boy agreed as he squatted down on the hard, stone floor of the cave. Mulder followed him, sitting cross-legged in front of the boy. He liked talking to Royce. The boy was very intelligent, and the prince desperately needed a little diversion from his own morose thoughts right now.

"Where did the elves come from, my lord?" Royce stared at him with big inquisitive eyes, realizing that he had stumbled upon the price when he had time to tell him one of his wonderful stories. Royce loved it when that happened.

"Well," the prince smiled at the little boy. "I can only tell you the story that the Sorceress Dana told me when I asked her that same question. In the Before Time everyone was human. There were no dwarfs, elves, or dragons, only humans. When the Nuvega invaded the land they released the plagerbees. Except the plagerbees weren't harmless like they are now. They carried a terrible disease. Dana says that they still carry that disease but everyone is immune to it now."

"That's silly, my lord, the plagerbees are good. They make the sweet-golden that I put on my porridge every morning."

"I'm just telling you what Dana told me, Royce, but I have to say, I think she knows what really happened in the Before Time. So, do you want to hear the story or not?"

"I'm sorry, my lord, I want to hear. Please tell me."

Mulder smiled at the eager little boy. "As I was saying, the plagerbees were dangerous in the Before Time. The disease they carried spread quickly throughout the land, killing most of the human population. And some of the people who were spared from the plagerbee stings, died in the great fires that followed the invasion. But the people who survived were not susceptible to the plagerbee stings. Many of them stayed human, but many others were effected in a different way. They changed into elves, dwarfs, dragons, big foot and all the other creatures of the realm. Sorceress Dana says that they turned into their true selves. That what was in their hearts became what they looked like on the outside."

"So when Mr. Shakes-Pear was writing his stories everyone <was> human?" Royce asked skeptically.

"They were only human on the outside, Royce. Dana says that their true hearts were species that had lived long before but had learned to conceal themselves in human guise. The plague of the Nuvega brought their true natures to the forefront."

"And they all lived together, happily ever after?"

The prince chuckled, "Not quite. They all learned to live together to a certain extent because there was so much else to worry about other than the color of their neighbor's skin or the shape of his ears. All the advances the people had made, all they had learned, all they had become, their very way of life was lost. The world started over."

"Were the Nuvega human as well in the Before Time?"

"No," the prince hesitated. "I don't quite understand this myself. Dana says that the Nevega launched their attack from a realm that lies in the direction of the sitting sun. It was called Nevada in the Before Time. That's how they got their name but I get the feeling from Dana that they originally came from somewhere else, I'm just not sure where."

"Do you believe Sorceress Dana, my lord?"

"I trust her word with my life, Royce, as should you."

"Yes, my lord. I think I'll go read some more of those stories now. I want to know what it was like in the Before Time. Do you think Sorceress Dana would tell me more about it someday?"

Mulder rose gracefully to his feet. "Yes, I'm sure when this war is over, she will have time to tell you all about the Before Time. There are a few things I'd like to know myself so maybe we can get her to tell both of us. Now run along, I expect to be able to discuss those pretty, whining princes with you later."

Royce blushed as he turned to leave, then impulsively threw his arms around the prince's waist and hugged him tightly. Mulder watched the small boy scamper away, and felt the sting of tears in the back of his eyes. His mother, Queen Christeena, would have demanded the boy's head for such disregard of a royal person. Prince Fox, Dragon Slayer, Truth Seeker, and rightful King of the Realm of Meridiem, thought it might be one of the nicest things that had ever happened to him.

The prince saw one of the runners come in with news of the war. The man looked exhausted as he stepped carefully around the sleeping bodies of the downed warriors. The prince took a deep breath and stepped forward, hoping the news would be good this time.

The man had stopped to talk to Frohike but came to immediate attention when the prince approached.

"What is it, loyal warrior?" Mulder asked, not liking the expression on the warrior's soot-covered face.

"DisCol Warrior Monks, sire. They ride from the direction of the palace and are headed in our direction. They will be here before nightfall."

"No! I don't want anyone coming to our headquarters. Frohike go find Sir Walter, we need to intercept the monks and find out what they want. Some of them are very powerful magicians, and are supposedly dedicated to peace but I don't trust them."

The runner looked shocked. "But King Fox, the DisCol Monks are the most powerful men on earth. It's said that they are direct descendants of the saviors of the people in the Before Time."

"Sorceress Dana says that's true. The last great battle was fought in a place called the District-Columbia, and the human leaders of that battle formed the holy order to protect and lead the people. I just fear that many of the monks have become drunk on their own power and have lost sight of their higher purpose."

"That is treason, sire!"

"Perhaps, but I am the heir apparent for the Realm of Meridiem and I trust no one with my people's lives. Perhaps they come to help us regain the throne but we must find out before we kneel before them."

"Well said, Prince Fox." Sir Walter strolled into the war room, the picture of a confident and capable warrior. "We leave at once."

He grabbed the prince's arm as they made their way out to their horses, giving him an affectionate squeeze. "You make me proud, peasant boy."

And as disturbed as he was by this new development, the prince couldn't remember the last time a comment had made him feel so good.

* * *   
Realm of Meridiem   
King's Highway

Prince Fox rode between Sir Walter and Alex. They had circled around to take the King's Highway instead of the route usually taken to reach the caves. They hoped to intercept the monks before they reached the road that would take them directly into the Enorus Mountains and the secret headquarters.

The prince's thoughts were on the holy order of DisCol Monks. They were powerful men and women to be sure, but he had heard stories brought to The Three, that made him doubt their goodness of heart. They were the ultimate voice for all of the realms, and disputes between kings were brought before them for settlement. The Three believed that those with the most gold in their pockets saw the lion's share of the justice.

"I can see their dust now," Alex commented. "We should be upon them shortly."

"Why have those dwarf runners not gotten back to us with a report on how many warrior monks we face today?" Sir Walter looked around him worriedly, his senses alert to danger.

"I have to agree that it's too quiet." Mulder shifted uneasily in his saddle. "We should have been joined by the advance scout by this time, if not the entire Dwarf army."

"Do you think they already know where the cave is located, peasant boy?"

"It's very possible, Sir Walter, the DisCol Monks are powerful magicians, and my fear is that they would have little trouble finding our headquarters. My only hope is that they have no interest in its location or have enough honor left to not disclose such valuable information to our enemies."

The DisCol Warrior Monks were a sight to behold. Riding three abreast in brightly colored silks, their silver armor gleaming in the noonday sun. Even their horses, prancing restlessly under them, were adorned with bits of streaming cloth and jingling silver harness. They numbered at least thirty men, all large of build and powerful in stature. There could be little doubt that these men felt they had the power to control kings.

Sir Walter glanced over at his prince. "I should have made you wear that body armor. I've gotten soft with you, peasant boy."

Mulder and Alex exchanged a pointed look, their butts were still sore from the strapping Sir Walter had delivered to both of them just last night.

"Sir Walter, armor is no protection against DisCol Monks. You know that." The prince strained his eyes to catch a glimpse of the approaching monks.

"I still don't like this." Skinner growled. "We should have brought an army with us."

"We don't have enough army to spare without giving up valuable ground on the battlefields. The DisCol Monks were allied with my father, perhaps they will help his son regain the throne."

There was a rustle from a nearby bush. Sir Walter made the mistake of reaching for his sword instead of his foolhardy prince. He found himself scrambling down from his huge horse in desperate pursuit of the young man who had leaped from his own mount and sprinted toward whatever was concealed in that brush.

Sir Walter crashed through the foliage, like an elephant parting the jungle, to find the prince gently cradling the head of a wounded dwarf warrior.

"King Fox," the dwarf ignored the prince's request that he save his strength. "You are in danger my true king. The monks have . . .Sir Spender with them."

The prince took off his own warm cloak and lay it gently over the injured dwarf. "You rest here, Driscoll." But the little warrior never heard the words, he was already unconscious in his prince's arms.

"We must go back to the caves and defend you from there, peasant boy." Sir Walter pulled frantically on Fox's arm. Then they heard Alex scream.

Sir Walter was a large man, muscular and strong. He outweighed the prince by several stone and had always been able to physically manhandle the younger man when necessary. This time, he found himself unable to stop the prince as he scrambled from the shelter of the woods, with the speed and agility of his namesake, to confront Alex's attacker.

They came upon the road to find Alex, sword raised to attack, frozen in his saddle. The DisCol Monks sat silently facing him.

"What have you done to him?" The prince demanded. His eyes drawn to where Sir Spender sat atop his horse, a smirk upon his creased and wrinkled face.

The leader of the monks rode slowly forward, the merry tinkling of his horse's harness the only sound in the silent forest. When he reached the prince and Sir Walter, he pulled back his face plate to reveal cruel blue eyes in a pale, freckled face.

"I am William Scully, II, DisCol Warrior Monk, Direct Descent of the Saviors of the World, and the Ruler of Kings. You will hear me, Prince Fox, and obey."

"I am King Fox of Meridiem, Truth Seeker, Dragon Slayer and Sole Heir to the House of Mulder. I answer to no one except my subjects. You show your true nature by the company you keep, monk."

"Sir Spender has told us of your betrayal to the memory of your father, my little traitor prince. We have come to understand that King William did not trust you with his kingdom and gave you over for training to his loyal council Sir Spender, now the ephemeral King of Meridiem. You have left his care and turned his subjects against him. You will end this war at once and return with King Spender to the castle where you will be under his sole control until a time that he personally deems you are ready to assume your rightful role as king." William Scully smiled evilly, "Should such a time ever come."

"I've heard of you, William Scully." The prince stared defiantly into the face of the powerful warrior monk. "You plotted to murder your own sister, Melissa, only to gain more power within the DisCol order for yourself. You're a heartless and cruel man who cares for little but exerting control over the lives of others. You are a disgrace to the principals set forth by your forefathers."

"And you are a prince in need of sound discipline. I think King Spender will meet those needs quite nicely. Take these prisoners back to the castle."

Both the prince and Sir Walter drew their swords, back to back as the monks spread into a circle around them.

"Give it up, little prince." William Scully smirked. "I hope you aren't expecting any help from those dwarf warriors of yours. They were so easily defeated."

Sir Walter raised his sword, prepared to rush the warrior monks now advancing on his prince. He instantly froze in place, sword still held high above his head.

"Let him go!" The prince lowered his own sword as he reached for the bewitched knight. "I'll go with you, just let Sir Walter and Alex go. It's me you want."

"I think not, Fox." Sir Spender spoke for the first time. "You will be much more compliant under my strap if I have your two friends' held captive in my dungeon. Take all of them back to the palace."

The bodies of Sir Walter and Alex were loaded into a prison wagon at the back of the procession. As the monks started to push the prince in to join his two inanimate companions, Sir Spender stopped them. "No, strip him and give him to me so that he may sit on my horse with me. I will do the commoners good to see their prince, naked and captive. I am their king and they had best get used to it."

The monks seemed amused as the prince struggled to retain his clothing but all too soon he stood naked before them. They tied the prince's hands behind his back, then lifted him up to sit shivering in the saddle in front of Sir Spender.

The prince tried desperately to keep some distance between his back and the old man's chest but Sir Spender would have none of that. He grabbed the prince's balls in one bony hand, and squeezing painfully, maneuvered the prince back until his bare bottom rested completely on the pretender king's lap.

"Get used to this, Fox. You won't be wearing clothing again, and I do so want your subjects to see what has become of their pretty little prince. Soon no one will be at all surprised to see you riding naked in front of me or lying across my saddle with your well-beaten bottom on display for all to see. You will never be alone again. If you aren't busy entertaining me in my private chambers, you will be publicly and humiliatingly displayed like the pretty, insignificant ornamentation you have become. You belong to me now, Fox, and there is nothing anyone will be able to do about it."

The evil man reached around and pinched a sensitive nipple. "Now I want you to lie back against me while I re-acquaint myself with your beautiful body. If you give me any resistance, little prince, I'll have your friends back there flogged before your very eyes."

The prince could not stop the fat tears that ran down his face as parchment-dry hands intimately explored his body.

* * *   
Royal Palace   
Dungeon

"I distinctly said that I would go first."

"Will you just let me through?"

The snitch finally expelled its bulbous body through the tiny opening that led to the secret passageways. They wrinkled their noses at the stench that met them upon entering the dungeon.

"Great Prophet almightily, what died down here?"

"Us, if you don't shut up, old man." Mr. X snarled at his other self.

"It is a wise man who plunderth not the putrid or the vile."

"Don't start with that shit, old man. We have to find Sir Walter so just shut up and keep your eyes open. I want to get out of here before one of Spender's dark knights finds us."

"I'm over here."

The snitch lumbered over to stand in front of the iron cell holding the captive knight.

"Oh, you smell bad." Deep Throat pointed out fussily.

"You'd smell bad too if you'd been held down here for a week. How is Prince Fox? Is he all right? Have they hurt him? Have you seen him?"

"Yeah, we've seen him." Mr. X said angrily. "He looks bad. Spender never lets him out of his sight. We've been told that the prince spends his nights hanging from the ceiling in Sir Spender's chambers."

"Have they . . . have they hurt him?"

"Well," Deep Throat whispered confidentially. "I heard that Sir Spender tried to rape him but another arrow came out of nowhere, and killed one of his evil knights who was watching. Spender hasn't had the nerve to try again but I'm sure he will soon. And of course, he's whipped the prince repeatedly. I think he quite enjoys taking his strap to him." The snitch took an involuntary step back as the knight's face reddened with rage.

"Where's Krycek?" Mr. X asked as he looked around at the other cells.

"I don't know. They took him above stairs. I'm afraid he might be entertaining the dark knights." Sir Walter let his head hang for a moment. "We need to help him."

"They're too well fortified, Sir Walter. We'll have to wait for a better time. The Sorceress Dana is still free, she'll find a way to come for you. I'm sure of it."

"Besides, the prince isn't here right now anyway." Deep Throat flinched back once more as a big hand reached through the iron bars to grab his wrist.

"Not here? Where is he?"

"It's . . .it's said that Sir Spender took him on a tour to each village in the realm. The prince is to be displayed in the center of the hamlet and publicly whipped. Sir Spender hopes if the people see what has become of their beautiful and brave prince, they will become so demoralized that they will stop fighting and bow to Spender's authority."

"Spender's authority, my ass! Someday I'll kill that old bastard with my bare hands. How goes the war?"

"The people of Meridiem still fight valiantly, but Sir Spender has amassed such an army that I fear that once the people see his might and the fate of Prince Fox, they will indeed give up hope."

"We must save the prince. He is the key to winning this blasted war. Can you get out of the palace and find the sorceress?"

"No," Mr. X shook his head sadly. "We've tried. All the secret passages out of the courtyard have been found and sealed."

Sir Walter suddenly looked up at the snitch. "Fox can contact his subjects. I'm not sure how he does it . . .some kind of weird mind thing but . . .I've seen him do it."

"He's too weak, Sir Walter. Haven't you noticed that he's been silent for almost a full day now?"

"Uh-hum," Deep Throat tapped his other self on the shoulder. "Don't you remember, Prince Fox doesn't talk to Sir Walter like that?"

"Yeah, but this is different!"

"What do you mean, doesn't <talk to me> like that? Like what?"

"Prince Fox does have the ability to talk to any subject in his realm with his mind. He never let you hear him because he was afraid it would scare you."

"That little shit thinks he could <scare> a Supreme Royal Knight of Meridiem? Are you telling me that he had the ability to let me know where the hell he was at any given time, but he was afraid he would <scare> me? When I get my hands on that aggravating little peasant boy, I'll . . ."

"Save it, sir knight. I doubt that after this tour of each village, our prince will be in any shape to go over your knee, no matter how well deserved."

"We have to save him." Sir Walter whispered as his eyes burned. He hated it when the stale air in the dungeon made his eyes water like this.

* * *   
Realm of Meridiem   
Village of Higdon Mass

The prince felt big, rough hands pull him down from where he lay sprawled, face down, across Sir Spender's saddle. This was the third village they had stopped at today, and the prince's body hurt from hair to toenails.

He heard the sound of a scuffle, loud voices and hard fists hitting soft flesh, somewhere a woman was crying. Fox tried to see what was happening but it was so hard to even lift his head now. At the other villages he had begged the people not to resist what was happening. He didn't want any of his subjects to be killed trying to save him.

He tried to muster the energy necessary to resist as he was dragged across the dusty ground, his neck and wrists shoved through the openings of the stocks that occupied the center of the village. There were more shouts of protest and cries of pain. The prince looked up to see one of the villagers standing in front of him, tears staining down the man's weather-beaten cheeks.

"Tell them . . .not to risk life . . .for me. Save fight for Mer . ..Meridiem. Ah-h-h-h!"

Spender's leather strap has lashed out, catching the prince in the small of his back. "Quiet, boy." Sir Spender, self proclaimed King of Meridiem, looked around at his unwilling subjects. "I have brought my pretty new slave here today so that you may see him punished for his arrogance and disobedience to me, his king. Learn well, peasants, that this same fate not befall you."

Sir Spender shook out his strap and turned back to the hapless prince. "This slave is to receive twelve lashes for thinking himself too good to be my slave and six additional for refusing to obey my commands and look to my pleasure. Colonel Henderson, you will count each stroke so that our deserving little slave shall not be slighted."

The black strip of leather flew forward with a resounding smack against the unprotected flesh in its arching path. The prince gasped as he felt yet another stripe of fire across his abused backside. He also felt his neck and wrists bruise as he jerked in the heavy oak stocks. At the last two villages he had been tied with his arms stretched up to a tree limb. In some ways that had been better.

"One." Came the deep, amused voice of Sir Spender's big military officer.

The lash struck again, still against his reddened bottom. The prince sobbed once and then bit down on his bottom lip to still any further outburst. There were several of his subjects sobbing now and he didn't want to upset them any more than they already were.

"Two. Perhaps a little harder, sire. He doesn't seem to be reacting properly."

The next stripe burned across the back of his naked thighs and the prince howled in pain. Another angry protest from the onlookers, and again the sound of a big fist punishing the peasant who would dare to object.

"Three."

"Ah-h-h-h-h!"

"Four. Much better, my king."

The strap moved from shoulders to thighs until twelve hard, painful strokes had been administered. The last six were applied full force, all falling on the prince's already well-punished backside. Fox was hardly aware when he was released from the stocks, carried to Sir Spender's horse and lain, red bottom up, across the pretender's saddle.

Sir Spender wrapped a possessive hand around the prince's waist, feeling the warmed flesh of his back through his own silk garments. Plaintive sobbing could still be heard from the peasants of Higdon Mass as the royal procession left the village in the direction of their next destination, and Prince Fox's next public whipping.

* * *   
Royal Palace   
Dungeon

Sir Walter looked up as Alex Krycek was shoved harshly back into the cell to land in a heap on the cold, filthy floor. Sir Walter ran to his side, gently cradling his head in his large hands. With just a little assistance, Alex managed to sit up rubbing at a large bruise that covered most of one jaw.

"What happened? Did . . .did they . . . rape you?"

"No. But not because they didn't want to. Sir Arnold had me trussed up like a turkey ready for the bake ovens. I think he felt that raping me would be almost as good as taking the prince. But as soon as he got ready to take his pleasure, arrows rained down out of nowhere. It was amazing, Walter. Those dark knights were dropping like flies and not one arrow, not one, even came near me."

"Did they catch the archer?"

"No where to be found," Alex marveled. "Damnest thing I ever saw."

"How are you feeling, boy?" A loud booming voice sounded from just outside the cell. Walter looked at the stranger standing before them. He knew he had never seen this knight before but he looked familiar somehow. Sir Walter turned to Alex and was immediately concerned to see the younger man standing pale and shaking. "Alex, what wro . . .?"

"Grandfather?"

"Of course it's me, my boy. Don't tell me you don't recognize your old pa, it hasn't been that long, Alexi."

The big strong-looking knight stepped through the iron bars just as an overjoyed Alex threw himself into the mans waiting arms.

"But . . .but, old pa, you're dead. Sir Spender killed you. I saw him do it with my own eyes, but no one would believe me. Well except for Fox, of course, but then, no one would believe him either. We tried to make it right, old pa, we really did."

"I know what you tried to do, that's why I'm here, boy. King Aaron and your father got a ride out of here but I stayed around in case they captured you or Prince Fox. I can't do much about that madman is doing but he'll not be rapin' my boys if I have a say in the matter."

"So you're the archer, old pa?" Alex asked with pride and excitement.

"Uh, well . . . no boy, it isn't me, or your father, for that matter. The ones who defend you and Fox with their bows have more power than any mere ghost could ever hope to possess."

Vlagimir Krycek turned heavily lashed, green eyes on Skinner. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you face to face, Sir Walter. King Aaron is quite impressed with you. I can't tell you how much I appreciate how you've watched out for Alex and Fox for us. They always were a handful. What one didn't think of, the other did."

Sir Walter could only nod his head at the gregarious ghost.

He turned back to Alex. "So, Alexi, what do we do now? I heard that a messenger had been dispatched to find Spender. The DisCol Monks are ordering the pretender king back to the castle. Seems there are some of the Mulder family jewels missing. Seems Spender promised it to them in exchange for their support. Leave it to those monks to be more interested in obtaining wealth than serving true justice."

Sir Walter was still in shock. Not only was Vlagimir a ghost, but he had not shut up once since he had materialized in the dungeon. He was beginning to see where Alex got his gift for gab. Although, truth be told, it wasn't that Alex talked a lot, it was just when he did, he could persuade Fox to do almost anything.

"Sir Walter?"

The knight looked around to see the elf, Max Fenig standing behind the ghost of Alex's grandfather.

"Max? What's wrong? Did you see Prince Fox?"

"No sir, not yet. I didn't know Sir Spender had taken the prince with him on his tour of the villages until today. Uh . . .I'll watch for his return."

"Well you're not watching very well if you're standing down here, now are you, boy?" Mr. X admonished the trembling elf. "You're my tool."

"Humph!" Replied Deep Throat. "You wouldn't know what to do with a descent tool if you had one."

"More than you would, old man. You don't know me. No one knows how to use a good tool the way I do!"

"Cast your stick upon the waters and seethe if it floats." Deep Throat said wisely, while everyone in the dungeon looked at him in bewilderment. "It's and old Centurion proverb," he said defensively. "Or maybe it wasn't cast you stick, perhaps it was cast your dic . . ."

"Well, uh, yeah," Sir Walter interjected just in time. "Max, just be . . ."

A loud whispering sound came from the dark end of the dungeon. Both Alex and Sir Walter tensed, "Hide, both of you." Alex whispered. "That could be one of the dark knights."

As Max and the snitch tried to disappear into the shadows of the dungeon, the voices grew louder.

"I told you this wasn't the right way."

"Yes it is, and besides what did you expect me to do, stop and ask a dark knight for directions? Just stop pulling on my tunic like that. Sir Walter has got to be down here somewhere, we'll find him."

"Will you two just shut up and keep your eyes open. I swear . . ."

The Three came stumbling around the corner, Langly holding tightly to the bottom of Frohike's tunic as they made their way through the dark and filthy dungeon.

"Oh great," Alex sneered. "Just what we needed in our darkest hour, The Jesters Three."

"Shut up, Krycek." Frohike scowled at the man who only smirked back at him.

"We snuck in with the supply wagons," Byers straightened his shoulders proudly. "We're here to help the prince."

"Yeah," Frohike agreed. "But we've decided to just let you rot down here, Krycek."

"What's going on? You guys having a party of something? Hey, why wasn't I invited." Eddie VanBlundht sauntered around the corner. "You need me, I'm great at picking up chicks."

"Of course. Of course we do." Max assured him timidly. "Chickens can be very difficult to catch. Fast little devils sometimes, and we could all use a good chicken dinner about now."

"No, elf boy," Eddie rolled his eyes at Max. "I'm good at making women well . . .you know, sleep with me."

"Humph!" Alex snorted, earning himself another glare, this one from Eddie.

"Oh . . .uh, sure . . .I knew that." Max face flushed a bright red causing Eddie to snicker at him.

"Geez," Alex mourned. "This just keeps getting better and better."

"You!" Sir Walter shouted, scaring everyone who was standing anywhere near his cell. "I know you! I thought I told you to stay away from Fox."

Eddie made a great show of looking at the faces that surrounded him. "Well I don't see your little royal brat here, now do I?" Not even attempting to hide his sarcasm from the big, incarcerated knight.

Sir Walter actually growled at Eddie, causing everyone to take another step back from him. "How are all of you people getting in here and yet you tell me no one can get out."

"It's always easier to get in somewhere than to get back out." Frohike said wisely. "You can just ask Prince Fox about that. Just last month he . . .   
"

Alex glanced worriedly at the big, angry knight. "Uh, this might not be the best time to bring that up, Frohike."

"Bring what up?" Sir Walter snarled, far beyond exasperation at this point.

Just then they heard a key turning in the outer lock. They all hurried into the empty cells, all but whistling up at the ceiling trying desperately to look like they all belonged there. A lone jailer appeared carrying two bowls of gruel. He stopped short when he saw all the inhabitants in the dungeon.

"Hey, they told me two prisoners. I'm going to have to go back for more gruel."

Mr. X lowered his head to sniff suspiciously at one of the bowls. "You don't need to bother." He said, raising his head as he made a face at the repugnant food.

"A man cannot soar with the hookbills if he eateth swill with the swine." Deep Throat added to clear everything up quite nicely.

"Hey, what're you calling swill, mister, this is our best gruel."

Sir Walter fixed the jailer with <his> best scowl. "Take it away, we don't want any of Spender's charity."

The jailer looked around at the large number of prisoners. "Nobody wants any gruel?"

"Well if nobody else wants it, I'll take it," Eddie grabbed a bowl, while Alex made a disgusted face.

"I might try a little myself," Max offered. "Do you have any pecan bread to go with it?"

"Uh no, but I might be able to find you some holy wafers, those monks brought crates of that stuff with them. That an that strange blue wine they like so much."

Sir Walter's head snapped up. "What kind of strange wine?"

The jailer looked like he was burning just about every brain cell he had left to come up with the name. "It was dwarf . . .no not dwarf . . .elf! Yeah elf wine, sunrise or sunset or something like that."

"Uh, they aren't supposed to have that." Max stuttered. "It's against the rules to even make twilight, and anyone caught in it in their possession can be put to death."

"Whose dumb rule is that?" Alex asked.

"It's a common sense rule, Alex." Skinner glared at him. "Elfin twilight can destroy the minds of anyone other than the elves. Everyone knows that."

"Well, I drink it all the time and my mind is fine. And so does Eddie and he's not . . . okay, so maybe it isn't good for everyone, but it didn't hurt Prince Fox any, now did it?"

"You gave elfin twilight to our king?" Mr. X blustered, glaring at Alex.

"Well yeah," Alex admitted. "I wanted to see if it would uh, you know, loosen him up a little."

"A wise man knoweth when to keepeth out of the pants of kings," Deep Throat threw his own chastising glare at Alex. "No matter how pretty they may bethe."

"That's the first thing you've ever said that actually made sense, old man." Mr. X complimented his other self.

"Thank you." Deep Throat accepted the long overdue compliment graciously.

"Are you guys saying you gave that poison to Prince Fox?" The jailer asked.

"Why?" Alex snarled at him suspiciously. "What do you care about the prince?"

"As far as I'm concerned, he isn't a prince anymore, he's my king. Do you mean to harm him?"

"What's your name, jailer?" Sir Walter asked as he gave the little man his most intimidating stare.

"Gustov, sir knight. And I repeat, do you wish harm to my king?"

Sir Walter and Alex exchanged interested glances. The knight turned back to the now distrustful jailer. "We are friends of Prince Fox, and wish to see him sit on his throne once more. Tell me, Gustov, are there others in the castle who share your feeling about the prince?"

"There are many of us, my lord. Prince Fox was always kind and generous to the peasants. He treated us as equals and listened when we spoke. We fear Sir Spender, and wish to see our rightful king regain his crown."

Sir Walter rubbed his chin as he thought about this. "Consider yourself one of us, Gustov. You now hold Prince Fox's life in your hands. Will you betray your future king and his loyal followers?"

"Never, my lord." Gustov went down on one leg, bowing his head.

"Rise, Gustov. The prince will have no kneeling at his name until he has regained his throne and freed his people from the imposter king. You need to discretely speak with the other servants in the castle. We must know exactly how many of the servants we can count as loyal to the prince."

Yes, my lord." The little jailor, his new assignment making his heart thud joyfully in his chest. Perhaps there was hope for his people at last.

"Gustov, unlock this door." Alex demanded impatiently.

Alex smiled as the jailor stepped back nervously. "Don't worry, friend, we won't go running up to attack Sir Arnold of Caspion in his sleep. Although I must admit I would like a few minutes alone with that man. No one will know that we are free, until that is, Prince Fox is back in the castle and we are ready to attack. But in the mean time, I have some kegs of elfin twilight to steal. I think a little blue wine would be just the thing to raise our standard of living down here."

"Alex, be careful. We can't very well regain the palace with a bunch of brain dead warriors, now can we?"

Alex only chuckled at him, "You worry too much. Why don't you just save all that obsessive need to protect and control for your brat prince."

"You'll think obsessive, you little . . ."

The jailor smiled happily as he turned the ancient, rusty key in the lock. Sir Walter and Alex Krycek were free men once more.

* * *   
Realm of Meridiem   
Human Village of Coleiga

The Lady Diana stood in the shadows and watched as a battered Prince Fox was lifted down from his perch in front of Sir Spender. She smiled to herself. It was nice to see one of the men who had betrayed her paying so dearly for his sins.

She crept a little closer, hoping to get a better look without catching the eye of Spender. She didn't trust him not to try to kill her. Not after he had locked her in that dreadful dungeon with that other riffraff. Someday she would make the old man pay but today was not the time. Today she wanted to watch Fox scream at the end of a strap.

The people of Coleiga protested mightily as the naked young prince was tied dangling from a sturdy tree branch. Once again Fox tried to rouse himself enough to warn his people to bide their time. To not die for such a worthless cause as saving a deposed prince. Meridiem needed its people if it was going to survive.

Lady Diana watched in disgust as the prince struggled to turn his body around to face his faithful subjects.

"Stop!" The prince but whispered as all magically quieted and everyone strained to hear the words of their rightful king. "You will not try to stop what happens here today. This is my destiny but your destiny lies in fighting for Meridiem. Ah-h-h-h-h!"

Sir Spender let the strap fly again, catching the prince in the same spot on his upper chest. Both sensitive nipples taking the brunt of the lash. The wicked strip of leather landed again, this time on the prince's stomach, forcing him to turn. To put his back to the lash and protect his more vulnerable front.

All was deathly quiet in Coleiga as the lash landed again and again on the prince's already abused body. Finally the young prince hung limply, his entire weight on his bruised and bleeding wrists.

"Stop! You're killing him!" Someone begged, close to a sob.

"No, keep going. Make him pay!" Diana put a hand to her own mouth, appalled that she had voiced her thoughts aloud. Sir Spender's sharp eyes turned toward her, pinning her into the shadows which she tried to use to conceal her existence from him.

"You!" He screamed. "You betrayed m . . ."

"Your majesty!" A dark knight came thundering into the village, his eyes growing wide at the condition of the prince of Meridiem.

"What is it?" Sir Spender snapped, his eyes never leaving Diana's face.

"You must return to the castle at once, sire. The Holy Order of DisCol Warrior Monks have need of your wise council. It is most urgent!"

"I see," Sir Spender puffed up like a proud rooster. "Oh the trials of ruling a kingdom! Sir John, cut my young friend down and put him on my horse. We ride for the royal palace at once."

Sir Spender turned back to the woman hiding in the shadows. He smiled evilly as he turned to the good people of Coleiga. Good hardworking farmers, ignorant and superstitious.

"Did you know," Sir Spender's voice hissed and slithered like a snake. "That the woman who lives among you is really an evil witch. She is responsible for what had befallen your beautiful young prince. And tell me, have you not had crops to fail and babies to fall ill while she has been among you?"

The men and women of Coleiga turned to stare at Lady Diana. They couldn't really remember any sick babies but surely there had been some. And of course the crops could always be better. They had found an outlet for their anger over their prince.

"A witch! Burn her!"

"No, tear her limb from limb and bury her in unholy ground."

"No, a stake. We have to drive a stave through her heart. Catch her."

Fox raised himself from his slumped position over the neck of the tall war-horse, his blistered flesh taking his weight as he sat up in the saddle. "No, stop! Don't do this."

Sir Spender pulled himself up to sit behind the swaying prince. "Save your breath, my beautiful slave. She's getting just what she deserves."

As they rode away, the hysterical shouts of the commoners and Lady Diana's piercing screams rang in the prince's ears.

* * *   
Royal Palace   
Dungeon

"Why is it so clean down here all of the sudden?" Sir Walter looked around at the sparkling dungeon. Just about everyone, including the ghost of King Aaron, had moved from the caves to this dungeon. They were just fortunate that neither Sir Spender or his dark knights would lower themselves to come down to the disreputable place.

"It's the damned brownies," Alex growled. "You can't lay anything down without one of them dusting, scrubbing or scouring it. Max said that now they're all busy making new shoes for everybody."

"Well, at least they're doing something useful, Alex. The dwarfs are bored and have started fighting amongst themselves, or anybody else they can bait into taking a swing at them. And those dragons singed the hair on an entire battalion of bigfoot yesterday. And I don't even want to tell you what the fairies have been up to with the royal guards. If we can't storm the castle soon, there's going to be a war down here."

"Sir Walter!"

Skinner looked up to see Frohike running toward him.

"Frohike, can you be a little louder? I'm not sure they heard you in Aspan Mia and you know how the brownies hate to be left out." Alex sneered at the little man.

"Shut up, Alex."

"Yeah, shut up." Lucy Householder agreed. "You don't know anything about brownies."

"I know they have short little legs and foul dispositions, now don't I?" Alex sneered as he eyed the tiny little brownie pointedly.

"Will everyone just stop this constant bickering." Sir Walter shouted above the din. "I'm getting to the point I don't want to hear a word out of any of you."

"Fine," Frohike sulked. "I won't bother telling you that Prince Fox has been brought back to the palace."

"What?" Skinner grabbed the little man's collar, practically lifting him off the floor. "Fox is back? Do you know where he's being held?"

"Uh, yeah - well - kinda'."

"What does kinda' mean exactly?"

"He's been suspended from the ceiling in the Spender's chambers again. My sources say he looks to be in pretty bad shape. Spender was true to his word, and dragged him from village to village, whipping him in front of his subjects." Frohike looked up in time to see the intense pain reflected in Sir Walter's face. "I also heard he was very brave. You can be proud of him."

"I would have been proud of him if he had screamed his head off." Sir Walter wiped a hand across his eyes. "We need to get him out of there."

"Well," Frohike beamed. "I think now is the time. William Scully, who has tormented the prince unmercifully, has been ordered back to the District. He and his monks are leaving at first light tomorrow morning."

Sir Walter turned to the beings gathered in the dungeon. "We move to take the palace at dawn. Spread the word."

* * *   
Royal Palace   
Sir Spender's Private Chambers

The Holy DisCol Monk, William Scully, sat drinking his favorite elfin twilight and watching the man who swung slowly to and fro from the ceiling of the chamber. The prince's long arms were stretched high above his head, with his toes barely touching the cold marble floor. His head rested on his own chest, and had not moved since he had been put in bondage.

Even beyond exhaustion, beaten and battered the prince was still a handsome man. William walked over to the suffering prince, running a hand down his lightly-furred chest and over one smooth hip.

"You always were beautiful, Fox. Would you like me to let you down from there. You look uncomfortable."

"N . . .no, stay away from me. I . . .I don't ne . . .need your help."

The monk's big hand scraped across a red, raw buttock, making the prince flinch in his bonds. "Are you sure about that, Fox? You seem to be losing your strength at an alarming rate. Tell you what, I'll let you down for a while, give you some water, maybe let you rest a little. Spender doesn't need to know. I've got just what you need to make you feel a whole lot better, Fox."

"Don't want any . . .anything from you."

"Still the little prude, I see. You know, I have a lot of special powers. I would be a much better master for you than Spender ever would. How about I show you what will become of you when that old man can't protect you any longer? I don't think you'll like it Fox."

William Scully snapped his fingers and a being appeared before them. The prince tried to focus on the apparition but it swam before his eyes.

"Grandfather?" Fox almost sobbed out the name.

"No Fox, this isn't a ghost for heaven's sake. It's just someone who wants to get to know you better." William Scully turned as the gargoyle who still looked a little stunned by his rapid transport from a battlefield to a bed chamber.

"This is Bill Patterson, Fox. He's had quite the crush on you since he first lay eyes on you at one of the field camps. I think it's time you two got acquainted, don't you?"

"No, keep . . .keep that thing away from me!" Fox tried to pull back from the grotesque beast who was quickly overcoming his shock, and was reacting to the exciting smell coming off the pretty human. Prince Fox gagged as the beast's rancid breath washed across his face.

The creature ran a clawed, heavily veined hand over the prince's shuddering body. "So pretty." It grunted. "My people hate humans but you're different, I couldn't take my eyes off you. So sweet and pretty."

The gargoyle literally purred as it moved its ugly face down to sniff at the prince's soft, fragrant hair. "I disguised myself as a human. I was supposed to kill you but you spoke to me. Asked me if I was all right. I couldn't make myself kill you after that. I don't want to kill you now, I want to own you, to consume you. I will control you completely and bend you to my will. I will be your master, sweet prince, and you will serve me willingly. And you will never be free to leave me. Never."

The prince gagged again as Patterson licked him with his rough, wet tongue. The prince shuddered in revulsion.

"So," William Scully asked. "What will it be, you sorry excuse for a prince, Patterson or myself? When I leave this castle tomorrow morning, your protection from that gargoyle will be gone. He's tasted your flesh now, and nothing will stop him after that. Gargoyles are very well endowed, he'll tear you apart, Fox, but never let you have the mercy of death."

"No-o-o-o!" The prince moaned. "Please, keep him away from me."

Fox shivered as Patterson ran a scaled hand across his nipples. The rough hand moved down to grab his cock in an iron-like grip.

"Hu . . .hurts! Leave me alone!"

William came back into the prince's line of vision. "I can make him stop, little prince. I can make him go away again. All you have to do is ask me to take you down."

"N . . .no!"

The cold, reptilian hand felt like it was reaching inside his chest to pull his beating heart out of his shuddering body. The prince screamed. Then screamed again as the gargoyle's attack continued. Then suddenly, it stopped. He heard a scream of pure animal fury, and then he felt himself being released from his bound and stretched position.

"I knew you'd see the light, Fox." The monk cooed at him.

"I did . . .didn't ask to be released."

"Of course you did. I clearly heard you."

Fox looked beyond William's shoulder to see his grandfather standing there, smiling at him encouragingly. He heard the beloved voice in his head, trust me, Fox'. Mulder smiled back at the man who had given him his good-looks and, more importantly, his courage. The prince nodded at his ancestor.

"Good. Now I'm going to make you feel real good." William Scully pulled the prince up and carried him over to a sturdy table. He draped the young man across it face down, ignoring his pleas for a glass of water.

"You'll get your water, Fox, but only after I get what I want."

William Scully was not a kind man. He had been raised to know his place as the master of kings, and he believed himself to be just that. He had ignored his teachers when they spoke of duty and responsibility of power, preferring instead to believe himself to be above mortal men. To be a god.

The monk hastily removed his codpiece, stroking his own erection. He thought briefly that he should use some sort of oil to make this easier for the prince, but then discarded the idea as too much bother. Fox would heal in time. He ran his hands over the prince's long, lean body. The skin was so soft and smooth. The muscles hard and firm underneath. He shoved one finger deep inside the hot, tightness of the prince ignoring the man's pained cry.

"Shut up, Fox, you're only getting what all the pretty boys like you crave and deserve. You're just a common slave, no I take that back, you're a very uncommon slave, but a slave nonetheless. You'd better learn to just lay back and enjoy it. I have a feeling that looking the way you do, you're going to be getting a lot of this sort of treatment."

Mulder bit down on his bottom lip until he tasted his own blood, his eyes squeezed tightly shut. Someday . . .someday he would kill William Scully, DisCol Monk or not. He shut his eyes tightly as another blunt finger joined the one already penetrating his unprepared body.

Then the fingers were gone and the prince could feel another type of hardness poised to enter his body. He tried desperately to relax. Sir Walter had always told him that if he relaxed everything would be easier. Of course, the ways Sir Walter used to relax him turned his body to a quivering blob of jelly so he hadn't had much practice relaxing on his own. He took a deep breath, determined to survive this latest atrocity as he had survived all else.

Whir-st! A golden arrow flew out of nowhere and sank itself deep in William Scully's left shoulder. The monk screamed, looking around himself frantically. He tried to use his mage powers to stop the attack but the archer seemed to have supernatural powers of his own. The monk despite the pain, despite the fear, he could not make himself withdraw his shaft from the hot, tight opening he wanted to penetrate so badly. William Scully was insane with his own lust and confused by the loss of his magical powers. He was intoxicated with his desire to use this beautiful king for his own pleasure.

Whir-st! Another arrow flew past William's shoulder, barely missing his right ear, but still he refused to give up the rape of this man. Whir-st! The final arrow sank deep into the monk's chest. He was dead before he hit the floor.

Prince Fox wasn't sure what had happened exactly. He slowly opened his eyes, wondering if William Scully had gone in pursuit of the archer. Hoping against hope that the sexual attack was over. He cautiously rose from his prone position on the table, turning to find his attacker but then stopped wide-eyed, gasping in surprise.

Towering before him stood the most breathtaking apparition he had ever seen in his life. She was inconceivably beautiful of face with long flowing tresses of the deepest brown. Her skin, pale and shimmering, her eyes glowing a rich green, her expression one of unconditional love. She wavered before his vision but he wasn't sure if it was her or his own precarious legs that insisted on swaying under him. Her long white gown seemed to float around her body, as if kissed by a warm, gentle breeze.

The magnificent creature was flanked on each side by two smaller, but equally lovely beings. One a man with a cherub-like face and twinkling blue eyes. The other was a woman, also dark of hair but with a face so sweet and kind it almost made tears come to the prince's eyes. Both were dressed in white, belted tunics of shimmering silk and carried bows and arrows of the purest gold.

"Who . . . who are you?" The prince whispered.

"Have I changed so much, dear brother?"

"Samantha?"

"Yes, Fox."

"Are you dead, Samantha? Are you an angel?"

"No one is ever truly dead, darling. But yes, I am an angel now. I know that you've missed me terribly but I've never been far from your side."

Fox glanced at the other two creatures who merely stood, smiling down at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Samantha apologized. "I haven't introduced you to your guardians have I? How rude of me. And after all the times they've pulled you out of one scrape or another."

She pointed a long elegant finger at the man to her right. "This is Pendril. He's very mild mannered and sweet until he sees an injustice and then he can become the fiercest of warriors."

Samantha smiled and turned to the lovely woman. "And this is Margaret. She's so very fond of you, Fox. She's quite good with that bow of hers. It's really too bad about that monk. Margaret did try to warn him but he just wouldn't stop."

"Angels have been killing the dark knights when they tried to rape me?"

"Warrior angels, Fox, they are a breed unto themselves. Their job is protect their earthly charges. Margaret also guards your precious Dana, as do I and Pendril."

"Is Dana all right. Shouldn't one of you be with her now?"

"She's fine," Samantha smiled at him. "Margaret and Pendril are more than capable of watching over the both of you, no need to worry yourself about that. And then of course, Alex has his own guardian angel. He's a full time job I'm afraid, and his angel is just as unusual as he is. Of course, that's another story for another day."

"And Sir Walter?"

"You brave knight is well protected, Fox. But I must tell you, he is a guardian in his own right. His soul is pure and honorable, very old and wise. You really shouldn't give him so much trouble you know?"

The prince looked a little sheepish but couldn't think of anything to say to that.

She laughed and it sounded like a hundred tinkling bells, making Fox's own face break into a wide smile. "You're right, Fox. He would be seriously worried about you if you changed too much after all this time, and probably even be bored. You'd better just forget what I told you and treat him as you normally do. He loves you just as you are, you know?"

"I know." The prince smiled again. "I've missed you, Sam. I tried to look for you but they wouldn't let me out of the castle. I'm sorry."

"It wasn't meant for you to find me, Fox. I was fulfilling my destiny. Our father and Sir Spender gave me to the Nuvega in exchange for secrets of enormous value. You could never have gotten me back by yourself. The Nuvega did not know how to take care of human slaves, I died very quickly. And I'm very happy now. I've so enjoyed watching you and Alex grow up in the palace. You're both quite entertaining. And Sir Walter," she giggled. "He certainly knows how to keep you in line."

"I suppose that's true," Mulder pouted.

Samantha looked sadly around the room. "I have to go now, Fox."

"No, Sam, please. Can't you stay with me. I don't want to lose you again."

"You have your Dana and Sir Walter. And, of course, there's Alex, although you really should be more reluctant to follow his lead, Fox, kings really shouldn't behave like wild street urchins. You have many friends and loyal subjects, my darling brother. You will be a great and powerful king who will lead our people into a brighter future. And I'll be with you, Fox, every step of the way. Every time you look over your shoulder, just know that I and your guardian angels are there with you."

"Uh Sam, what about when Sir Walter and Dana and I are . . .well you know, uh . . ." Mulder flushed a bright red.

"In bed together, Fox?"

"Well yeah. I don't think I could do that if I thought you were . . .you know."

Samantha giggled with delight. "Oh Fox, angels aren't interested in such earthly pursuits. I promise you can enjoy your friends all you want, we won't be watching. Besides, you don't need us then, you're always safe when you're alone with those two."

"That's a relief." He smiled at the vision of his beautiful sister. "I promise I'll be the best king ever, just for you, Sam."

"I know you will, sweet brother. And if you don't, Margaret here will kick your butt. She's more than capable to doing just that."

"Will I see you again, Sam?"

"Of course you will, darling. Someday soon."

The angel Margaret took a step forward to kiss the prince's cheek. It was the most incredible kiss he had ever received. It caused a ripple of warmth and contentment to flow through his battered body. "Tell my Dana that I love her and that I'm with her every day."

The prince cocked his head to one side, studying the woman who stood before him. "You're Dana's mother, aren't you?"

"Yes, and I'm very proud of her. In fact, I'm very proud of both of you."

And the three angels vanished just as Sir Spender and a legion of his dark followers burst through the door, stopping short at the sight of the prince standing over the body of the fallen William Scully. Fox noticed that the arrows that had pierced his body where no long gold, but merely ordinary looking shafts.

"What have you done?" Spender hissed. "You'll pay for this, boy. Killing a DisCol Monk is punishable by torture and death. The torture you will receive then fold, but death will not come to save you."

The old man turned to Sir Arnold. "Lock him in the wine cellar, and make sure he is put in hard bondage. I don't want the rats to have to work too hard for their dinner tonight."

* * *   
Royal Palace   
Wine Cellar

Prince Fox gasped for breath as the heavy ropes, that were tied so snugly around his chest, constricted his breathing. He was suspended, bent at the waist, his arms pulled high behind his back and secured to the ceiling. He could take some of his weight off his aching shoulders by pushing down with his toes, the only part of him that was touching the cold, dirty floor. But when he did that, it caused the bindings wrapped so securely around his cock and balls to pull even tighter, sending waves of pain through his body. The same thing happened when he tried to lower his head, the rope around his neck pulling taut until he gagged and choked. He wondered what would happen when his head became to heavy for him to keep it elevated.

The wine cellar was a dismal place. A thick coat of grime covering all the shelves and bottles. Long spider webs hanging from the ceiling. The prince didn't even want to think about an eye to eye meeting with one of the creatures who had built such elaborate traps for their prey. And Spender had been right about the rats. They were a brave lot, scampering about his feet. So far, he had successfully kicked them away but it had been done at a high price of pain to his bound genitals.

Mulder wondered where his angels were now when he needed them. Was raped by a holy monk really worse than being eaten by rats?

The prince valiantly pushed his pain to the side and focused his fuzzy mind on his beloved Dana. He wondered where she was and what had become of her. He had tried to contact her in his mind numerous times but he was just to weak for the kind of concentration such a feat entailed.

He concentrated his mind on one of his favorite stories that she had told him about their past lives together. Of course, she didn't have all the details for this one but Mulder's very vivid imagination had filled in all the holes quite nicely, thank you. Maybe that was why this story was one of his favorites.

According to the sorceress, they never really strayed far from their true essence in any lifetime. Walter was always the fierce warrior, a man dedicated to honor and the protection of Fox. Fox was always some degree of wild, willing to risk his very life in the pursuit of truth and justice. And Dana, or course, remained the sorceress healer.

* * *   
Realm of Texandria   
983 After Time

They walked down the rutted road, their sandaled feet kicking up little clouds of dust. Their long tunics were of simple, home-spun fabric but no one would dare argue that the three travelers were still not exceptionally attractive people.

"Tell me again," Warrior Walter scowled at the tall, handsome man at his side, "Why we have to travel all the way to Cancadia."

Fox sighed with exasperation. "I already told you. A tinker traveling from Cancadia to Eurodia was found dead, drained of blood. Why do you find it so hard to believe that vampires exist, we've certainly seen enough strange beings in our travels. Why not vampires?"

"Because if vampires really existed we would have seen one by now." Warrior Walter said emphatically, "End of discussion."

"Whatever." Fox breathed another exasperated sigh, wishing he had left his self-proclaimed protector at home."

The reached the city of Cancadia just as the last rays of the sun slipped below the horizon. They were met by three men, all bearing torches. The tallest of the men stepped forward and Fox's breath caught in his throat. This was the most beautiful man he had ever seen, even including his gorgeous Walter.

The man raised his hand in the universal sign of welcome, "My name is Lucius Harwell, and I'm the town leader. May I ask your business here."

The man looked over at Dana and winked, receiving a roll of the eyes in return.

"We've . . .we've . . .we've . . ." Mulder stuttered as he gazed at the vision who stood before him. This was the first man with the exception of his Walter that he had ever been attracted to. It was most disconcerting.

Warrior Walter pushed Fox behind him and glared at the buck-toothed man in front of him. "We've come to look into the murder of the tinker, Randolf Simms. Do you know anything about it?"

"Wild animals." Lucius said as he gazed deeply into the warrior's eyes.

"Cut it out, Lucius." Dana scolded causing Walter to turn to her, eyes full of curiosity.

"Do you know this man, Dana?"

"We've met before. The answer is still no, Lucius."

"Ah Dana, that was over nine hundred years ago. Talk about holding a grudge."

"Nine hundred . . ." Walter sputtered. "Dana what the hell is he talking about?"

Dana rolled her eyes again. "Walter, I told you that we had other lives together before this one." She smiled as Fox's eyes lit up. He loved these stories.

"Yes, you did." Walter conceded, "But you were never able to offer solid proof, so therefore . . ."

"Well Sliabh, meet my proof. Lucius Harwell, immortal, who nine hundred years ago slipped a sleeping drought in my drink, then took advantage of my partner." She pointed to Mulder's chest. "Leaving me to find Alainn the next morning, laying sprawled in the front seat of our chariot, half dressed and drugged out of his mind."

"He was not half dressed." Lucius corrected. "He had a few ties and buttons loose but he also had a big smile on his face, if you will recall, madam."

"No, I don't recall that, Lucius. As a matter of fact, all I remember is him looking completely bewildered. He didn't even remember being with you. Doesn't say much about your sexual prowess, now does it?"

She held up her hand to stop any comment from the vampire. "And then there was that incident a scant hundred years later, and the one in 434, oh and don't forget 718, now there was an experience to remember. What has it been now, Lucius, eight or is it nine attempts to get in his pants? Why don't you just give up, Fox belongs to Walter and me. You can't have him."

Walter may not have completely understood what they were talking about, but he did catch that part with no problem. "No, you can't have him." He glared at the man who would even dare thing of taking Fox.

"Would you all just stop talking about me like I'm not here!" Mulder shouted, surprising everyone.

Lucius moved to put an arm around Fox. "Of course you're right, little one. How rude of us. Why don't you come into my house, we'll have some dinner, and I'll tell you all about vampires. How would that be?"

Dana rolled her eyes yet again as Fox's eyes sparked. A truth to be uncovered. Great Prophet help us all!

Warrior Walter reached out to stop the two men as they started to walk away, but Dana put a restraining hand on his forearm. "Don't worry about it. Fox never gives in to him and as I recall, Lucius does make a mean pot of porridge."

Walter and Dana might as well have been absent from the table as Lucius and Fox talked incessantly of vampires and other mystical being of the darkness.

Walter was becoming even more exasperated with the buck-toothed man hanging all over Fox, when a sudden loud banging at the door had the warrior reaching for his sword. When Lucius opened the door, they were greeted to the sight of a small, rotund man huffing for breath.

"Lord Lucius, Stephan Wigman, has been stepped on by his plow horse. We don't know what to do for him. Please help us." Lucius nodded at the little mortal who stood panting before him.

"I have something better to offer, Peiter, the famous Sorceress Physician Dana is visiting in my home tonight. I'm sure she won't mind healing Stephan's injuries for us." He turned his attention to Dana who was already rising from the table.

As Dana started for the door, Walter stopped her. "We're going with you."

"Walter, I'll be fine. I can take . . ."

"Yes, I know. I've heard it before." Walter enunciated very carefully. "We're coming with you."

"He's right, Dana." Lucius interjected. "You should take the warrior with you. Fox can stay here and finish our discussion. There's no need for all of you to go out in the freezing night."

Dana glared a warning at the vampire, while Peiter hopped from foot to foot, obviously anxious to go to his injured friend. "Keep your hands off of him, Lucius. I'm warning you."

Walter threw his own dissuading look at Lucius, and hurriedly followed Dana out the door.

Fox rubbed his hand together, "So Lucius, where do the vampires live? What do they eat? Do they really stay inside during the day? Do they really hate the smell of garlic, of course most people hate the smell of garlic but I've heard that it is especially repugnant to . . ."

"Sh-h-h-h, little one." Lucius ran a slender hand along Mulder's cheek. He looked deeply into sparkling, hazel eyes, his own intense blue stare causing Mulder to become lost in his gaze. "Why don't you take your clothes off and I will tell you all about it."

"My clothes? But, Dana . . ."

Lucius placed a hand on each side of Mulder's face, forcing their eyes to meet. "I'll keep my promise to Dana. I won't touch you unless you ask me to."

Mulder nodded, mesmerized. "I suppose that will be all right then."

He slowly undressed, shivering as he stood naked before the vampire. Hazel eyes now wide and vacant.

"So beautiful," Lucius whispered. "But you're cold, little one, why don't you lie down on the bed."

Mulder turned, placing himself in the center of the large, soft bed. "I thought you guys slept in coffins."

"No, my pet, much too stuffy in there."

Lucius kissed Mulder on his full lips. It was an unusual sensation, hot and cold at the same time and Fox shivered with the sensation.

The vampire fed on his lips for a long time, until Mulder was sure he would pass out from lack of air. Then Lucius moved down, spending several minutes on the pulsing artery in Mulder's neck, then moved down to attend to the small, hardened nipples.

Mulder was beyond thinking now. All he could do was feel, and the vampire was making him feel so good. He wished Walter and Dana could be here for this.

Finally, Lucius Harwell wrapped his lips around Mulder's engorged shaft and the man nearly came off the bed. Harwell had learned a few things during his thousand years of walking the earth. And among the vampire's many talents was an innate and long-practiced talent for sucking.

The door opened abruptly, and Walter stepped into the room, "Fox, Dana said to tell you she was going to be a while. She . . . " his mind finally registering what was happening on that big bed. But when Lucius Harwell looked up at him, Walter wondered why he had ever thought the man plain. He was exceptionally beautiful.

Lucius beckoned the big warrior over to the bed with one crooked finger. "Your Fox is most beautiful, my strong warrior, come join us."

Walter nodded slowly, his mind a swirl of confused thought. "Yes." And the warrior began to shed his clothing.

As Lucius resumed his pleasuring of Fox, Walter moved behind the vampire and prepared to slide himself between, the round smooth buttocks. There was no resistance , none at all. It was so smooth, and so very sensual, as if the vampire had been made to take Walter's huge cock inside his body. Lucius passageway wasn't as hot as Fox's, maybe even a little cool, but still the sensation was totally pleasurable.

Walter began to pump into the beautiful vampire, as he wrapped a hand around to stroke Lucius' rock hard erection. It was good, so very good. Walter could hear Fox moaning and making that little squeaking sound deep in his throat that meant that he was very close to coming. Walter increased his efforts, his hand on Lucius' cock in perfect rhythm with his penetrating strokes. And then Dana had walked in and . . .

Prince Fox's fantasy was interrupted as he heard shouting, and the sound of swordplay from somewhere close by. He lifted his head, listening intently. It had almost sounded like Sir Walter's voice.

The End 

 

* * *

 

Knight Time in the Realm - Part 11  
By: DiAnn  
  
Rating: NC17 - SLASH/ language/ mild violence  
Category: AU / Fantasy / BDSM / m/m Slash  
Warning: Mulder-Skinner Slash / Sk/Sc/M  
If you don't like this kind of thing, or you are underage, go somewhere else . . . Please! I don't want to hear from you and I don't want to hear from your Mama.  
Spoiler: Through Season 6.  
Summary: Alternate Universe - Kings and palaces and handsome soldiers for hire.  
Disclaimer: I do not, nor ever will, own Mulder, Scully, Skinner, Krycek or anyone else from the X-Files. I am borrowing them without permission and am obviously not receiving money for this stuff. We all know who they really belong to, CC, Fox and lots of other people but again, not me.  
Special thanks to Nicole who usually finds my every little error. Not in this one. I lost her corrected copy during a power outage. So if you can't stand the mistakes in this one - they're all mine.  
DiAnn's Page can be found at Mulder Torture Anonymous: [archivist's note: website address given by author is no longer valid]

* * *

Knight Time in the Realm - Part 11  
By: DiAnn

Prince Fox jerked up his head, gasping in pain as the movement caused the ropes holding his body suspended from the ceiling to tighten painfully. He heard the shouts of angry men and the unmistakable sound of the clash of metal against metal. A battle was raging, and from the sounds of it, right outside the entrance to his wine cellar prison.

He pushed down with his toes, searching for a measure of traction but quickly relaxed his legs as pain shot through his bound testicles All of his weight came to rest on his strained shoulders once more, and he groaned in misery.

Suddenly the door behind him opened with a loud screech of rusting hinges. Without thought, the prince whipped his head around to see who was coming for him. The thoughtless movement caused the rope constricting his throat to tighten, and he began to fight for breath. Instinctively he attempted to relieve the pressure on his throat by pushing down with his feet. Pain screamed through his body. Now unable to breathe, black dots dancing before his eyes pain from his bound genitals racing through his body, the young prince panicked, fighting his bonds wildly.

After what seemed like hours of horrifying agony, the prince finally became aware of a soothing voice in his ear and the sweet relief of the ropes falling away.

"Sh-h-h-h,! Stop! Stop fighting me, peasant boy."

A sob broke from deep in the prince's chest as he filled his lungs with the stale but life giving air of the wine cellar.

He felt himself swung up into strong, safe arms, and wrapped his own arms around his savior's neck. Soon, they were moving up and away from his horrible dank prison. Mulder became aware of an unearthly silence as he was carried past a blur of figures, all staring at his naked, abused body. He started to struggle again.

"I . . .I can walk."

"I'm sure you can, but I can't bear to let go of you," Sir Walter's voice was soft and close to his ear. "Just be quiet for a moment and allow me to offer up prayers of thanks for your safe return to my arms."

The prince relaxed as he was carried up a steep flight of stone stairs, while his rescuer kissed the tears from his cheeks. As he was laid gently on the large bed in Sir Walter's palace chambers, he raised his head to look around the room.

"We're back home?" The prince managed to finally focus his eyes on the beloved face of Sir Walter. He felt his heart melt a little as he saw the few tears that had managed to slip by his knight protectors stern facade.

"Yes, we staged an overthrow of Sir Spender and regained your palace. Unfortunately the evil son-of-a-bitch escaped with a few of his favored dark knights. I fear there will be so quick solution to this war."

Rapidly coming back to himself, Mulder remembered the events of the past week. "They think I killed a DisCol Monk."

Sir Walter stopped fussing over cleaning up his prince and lay down to hold the young man in his arms. "And did you?"

"No, it was . . .someone else. Monk Scully tried to rape me so the archer killed him."

"Do you know who the archer is, peasant boy?"

"I . . ." the prince looked up at the knight trying to gage just how much the man would be comfortable believing. His mouth dropped open in shock as the knight seemed to read his mind. A scowl forming on his handsome face.

"Don't you even think about lying to protect me, peasant boy. I won't spank you at the moment but a delayed trip over my knee would have acquired some added interest by the time the punishment is finally delivered."

Mulder looked at his knight protector speculatively. Well, the man certainly had seen enough in the last few months, perhaps he had opened his mind to extreme possibilities. "You're sure you're ready to hear this, Sir Walter?"

"Absolutely!"

"It was an angel!"

"Ang . . .angel?"

"Yes! My sister! She's the most beautiful angel now. She wears this long flowing dress and there's a beautiful golden light all around her. She's just breath-taking. But of course, it wasn't really her who shot the arrows, it was her warrior angels. They are her guardians, one on each side of her. And one of them is Dana's mom! She's beautiful just like my Dana but I don't think I'd like to get on the wrong side of her, she looked like she really knew how to use that crossbow of hers. Sir Walter? Why are you banging you head on the wall like that? You're going to hurt yourself! What's wrong? Was it something I said?"

* * *   
Royal Palace   
Sir Walter's Chambers

It had been two weeks since Sir Spender had been driven from the palace. Mulder had been forced to spend much of that time in bed. Some of the time being loved and spoiled by his knight protector, the remainder of the time he had been forced, practically at sword point, to rest.

The prince lay awake looking at the palace ceiling, while Sir Walter snored softly beside him. They had as yet, received no word on Dana's whereabouts and it was driving the prince to distraction.

Mulder's breath stopped as the door to the chamber slowly opened. He waited, not moving a muscle as a soft wump, wump sounded as something made its way into the room. The prince slowly reached for his sword, preparing to spring from his bed when a soft round ball of wet scales and mottled, prickly fur landed on the foot of the bed.

As the prince watched, the ball uncurled a little, and a pair of sharp, beady eyes looked up at him. Mulder released a relived breath and lay his sword back on the floor by the bed. It was only a slime-ball, and although disgusting creatures, not really dangerous in the least.

The slime-ball slowly unfurled itself to its full five foot length. With a body similar to a boa constrictor, covered in patches of slimy, green scales intermixed with patches of spiky brown fur. It's face was that of a man. This one rather round with full cheeks and thin lips. Mulder shook his head in loathing, hoping the slime-ball did not leave too much gook on Sir Walter's clean sheets and blankets.

"What the hell do you want, Colton?"

"Ss-s-s-sh! Is that anyway to greet an old friend, little princ-s-s-s-s-e?"

"As I recall you were never my friend, Tom."

"Jus-s-s-st because I happen to think you're craz-z-zy doesn't mean we can't be friends, s-s-s-weet princ-c-c-ce!" Colton's long forked tongue slipped out of his mouth vibrating as the creature hissed at the prince.

Mulder wiped a hand across his face. "Cut it out, Colton, you're spitting all over me! Now, tell me what you want and then get out of here before you wake up Sir Walter."

The prince was gratified to see the slime-ball throw one nervous glance toward the big knight before returning his attention to the prince.

"I know where the s-s-s-sorceress is-s-s being held."

The prince sat up suddenly, causing the slime-ball to cower back against the high wooden foot rail of the bed. It also caused Sir Walter to mumble under his breath and turn over. The other two occupants of the room remained perfectly still until the knight had settled into deep sleep once more.

"Take us to her." The prince whispered.

"Only you, little princ-s-s-s-e."

"And why is that?" The prince gritted out between clenched teeth.

"It's jus-s-st the way it is-s-s." The slime-ball retorted. "Take it or leave it, little princ-c-c-ce."

The prince glanced worriedly at the big knight. The man would have his ass, literally, for this but if it got Dana back then it was worth the consequences.

"All right Colton, take me to her."

* * *   
Dark Woods   
12 Hours Later

Sir Walter cupped his hands, bringing the cool water up to his mouth, drinking deeply before splashing yet another handful on his hot and flushed face. He had been riding hard all morning and had seen no sign of his fugitive prince.

With a heavy heart he rose from his knees, and called to his loyal and patient war horse to come to the small stream for his own well-deserved drink. He was at his wits ends. Of course, the royal guard had not seen the prince leave the caste. They never did. Dana had said Fox would be the wizard king, Sir Walter was beginning to believe that among his many tricks, the boy could make himself invisible.

Sir Walter sat down on the soft forest floor, leaning his back against a fallen tree, trying desperately to come up with a plan that would find Prince Fox before he got in too much trouble. He let his head fall back to lie on the rough bark behind him, couldn't think straight, his mind heavy with despair.

In another part of the realm, Prince Fox had halted his horse to run a frustrated hand over his own face. He was lost! In his own kingdom, no less!

He had followed that slime-ball Colton's directions to the letter but had found no dark castle holding one small, red-haired sorceress. Now Sir Walter was going to kill him, Dana was still missing, and he had also misplaced the damned slime-ball. It had been tumbling along behind him, leaving great, huge trails of slippery, glistening goo in its wake, and then Mulder had looked back to find it gone. Not that it was any great loss, but it had still been his only companion on this ill-fated journey.

Mulder sighed heavily, nudging his horse forward, quickly gaining speed as his desire to return to the castle increased to a sense of panic. He rode hard, careening through the dense forest, hoping to find a road and his way back to the palace. He had just tucked his head down to miss a low hanging branch, when a loud growl sounded from close by. Mulder's head jerked up, throwing himself off balance just as his terrified animal picked up even more speed to escape the danger it sensed. The prince pulled up hard on the reins, trying frantically to regain control of the beast before it killed the both of them.

As he ducked his head to miss yet another low hanging branch, suddenly he felt the panicked animal's front hooves leave the ground, and they were air-born over some obstacle that lay in their path. As the horse's hooves touched the ground on the other side, it stumbled. Quickly regaining it's feet the horse bolted forward once more but not before throwing its hapless rider to the ground with a bone-crunching crash.

Mulder lay there stunned, hearing the sound of his horse thundering further into the woods without him. Shit! The growl sounded again, closer this time, almost from directly above him.

The prince opened wide eyes to stare his own death in the face. He expected   
a ferocious wood's cat or perhaps a hungry snap dog. But what stood glowered down at him was even worse. The giant, creature stood glaring down at him, the thirst for blood shining from it's beady, threatening eyes.

Mulder closed his own eyes once more. Maybe if he just lay here, the horrible apparition would go away. Then he could go on with the much more pleasant possibility of remaining lost in these woods until he was eventually eaten by hungry wolves.

A big paw reached down and dragged him to his feet. The prince opened his eyes to stare into dark, angry ones only a fraction of an inch from his face. He quickly closed them again. This was going to be bad, and he just couldn't bring himself to watch.

The prince grimaced as a big, blunt finger wiped a smudge of dirt from his right cheek. "So my pretty little peasant boy, it seems we've been here before. Care to tell me what you're doing out here?"

"Uh-h-h-h . . ."

"Very well said, brat. Perhaps if I were more specific in my question. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING OUT HERE BY YOURSELF . . .YOU ROYAL PAIN IN THE ASS!"

Mulder all but jumped out of his skin. "Lo . . .looking for Da . . .Dana."

Sir Walter moved forward, stopping when the prince backed away from him, eyes wide with fear. The big knight ran an exasperated hand over his scalp. "I see. And what made you look here, of all places? Did you think the sorceress had decided to go camping in the middle of nowhere?"

Mulder glanced around at the tall trees and dense undergrowth. "Uh well, you see Tom Colton said . . ."

"You followed a lying, thieving slime-ball out to this desolate woods? Are you out of your mind, peasant boy? No one can trust a slime-ball. You, of all people, should know that. Of all the creatures on earth, they are the most self-serving, greedy, egotistical, unreliable parasites that ever lived. Where is he?"

"I lost him a ways back."

"That's good, let's keep it that way. I have little doubt that this is a trap of some sort. A slime-ball will do anything to further his own desires and ambitions, and Colton is one of the worst. Which way did he tell you to go from here?"

"Well, you see . . . the thing is . . . uh, I don't exactly . . .that is . .."

"You're lost."

"I am not!" The prince straightened his shoulders with injured pride.

"Really? Which way is the palace?"

Mulder scrunched up his face, trying to look around him without Sir Walter realizing his indecision. He glanced at his angry knight protector, then tentatively pointed his finger in what he thought must be a northerly direction.

"Wonderful! Straight into the arms of Sir Spender and his dark knights. Very good, peasant boy. Well, lets get this over with so we can get you back to the castle before you aimlessly wonder into the Nuvega camp to ask them for directions."

"Get what over with?" The prince asked in alarm.

"As I said, it seems we've come full circle, brat. I mean your spanking of course. Isn't that the way this scenario goes? You try to kill me with your runaway horse, I attempt to talk to you as if you were a sensible adult, I quickly learn that is a lost cause and just turn you over my knee to thoroughly warm your backside. That's the way I remember it anyway."

"But why?"

"Why am I going to spank your butt? Let's see, could it be for leaving the castle without my permission . . .again! No wait, maybe I should save that for tonight." Sir Walter watched in satisfaction as the prince cringed. "Or maybe for risking you life? You know, runaway horses, following slime-balls, getting lost in the woods, that sort of thing."

"You're going to enjoy this!" The prince slitted his eyes in accusation.

"Wong, as usual, peasant boy. I don't particularly enjoy punished your naked butt. There are, after all, so many other more enjoyable uses for it. But I won't shirk my responsibility either. You need a good sound spanking and you shall have one. Now and again when we reach the castle." The big knight seated himself on the fall log, patting his right knee. "Over you go."

Mulder stomped his foot at the knight, "No! I don't want to get across you knee for a spanking."

"Oh, I am sorry, Prince Fox. I certainly wouldn't want to go against the wishes of my rightful king. So," Sir Walter looked around. "You could cut a good switch I suppose." His attention turned back to Mulder just as all the blood drained from his face. "Or perhaps," he reached for his leather belt. "You would prefer a good strapping with your own belt. That is always effective.?"

"No!" The prince began to tug his leggings down over his hips. "I'll . ..I'll just take the spanking."

"Wise choice, brat." Sir Walter growled as he once again seated himself on the fallen log. "Now get your bare butt over my knees."

Sir Walter shifted his knees, arranging the bare bottom now presented up to him for maximum exposure to his punishing hand. He ran said hand over the smooth, unmarked mounds already trembling in anticipation. "And you can save some of your more theatrical crying and begging for later. You'll need them. This is going to be long and hard and I'm not stopping until I'm sure you'll be squirming on that horse's back all the way home."

"Please, sir." Mulder looked up over his shoulder, his eyes wide with terror.

"What is this spanking for, peasant boy?"

"For leaving the palace without telling anyone." Mulder lowered his head miserably back to the ground in front of him.

A hard smack landed on his left buttock. Mulder flinched at the sharp sting and scrunched up his face waiting for the next blow.

"No. Try again."

"No?"

Another hard smack. "Yes, I said no. Your bare butt and my strap are going to have a discussion about that little decision before bed tonight." The knight was gratified to feel a shudder run through the young man over his lap. "Now tell me, why is the true King of Meridiem lying face down in the royal forest, in broad daylight, getting his bare, upturned bottom thoroughly blistered?"

"Ouch! For risking my life."

"For," smack! smack! smack! "risking the life of the king. Yes!" smack! smack! smack! smack! smack! smack! "That's absolutely right." smack! smack! smack! "See, you can be a smart boy, " smack! smack! smack! "when you want to be." smack! smack! smack! smack! smack! smack!

"Ouch! Not so hard! Please, Uh-h-h-h, I won't do it again!"

"Really?" Smack! Smack! Smack! "I wonder where I've heard that before." Smack! Smack!

"Can you save that until later. We have a problem."

Sir Walter's eyes snapped up from the bright red bottom his was attending to see Alex Krycek sitting nervously atop his horse, eyes shifting anxiously around the dark woods.

Sir Walter immediately pulled up the prince's legging, ignoring his hiss of pain as the fabric rubbed over his tenderized backside. He quickly stood up, pulling the dazed prince with him to stand facing the green-eyed warrior.

"What is it Alex?"

"The Nuvega are amassing an army on the Mesmeranian Plains about thirty miles north of here. This whole thing was a trap to lure your bratty little prince into their clutches. They planned a public execution of the heir apparent to demoralize the royal army." Alex glared at the now sheepish prince. "It would have worked, too."

Sir Walter continued to grip the arm of his errant prince as he made quickly for his horse. Mounting with the prince in his usual position in front of him. He put an arm that felt like a band of steel around the young man's waist, and kicked his horse into a gallop behind Alex.

* * *   
Enorus Mountains

Sir Walter, Alex and Prince Fox lay on their bellies behind the last cliffs of the Enorus Mountain Range before it turned into the foothills leading to the Mesmeranian Plain. A wide expanse of flat ground, with little or no shelter to hide spying eyes.

"I can't see a damned thing!" Sir Walter complained.

"You don't need to. The prince can see what's happening."

Sir Walter looked at Krycek in shock. "What are you talking about. It has to be at least a thousand yards. No one can see that far."

"The wizard king can, can't you Fox?"

"Yeah, it looks like every dark army in the realm is assembling on that plain. There's a least a thousand ghouls, even more dark dwarfs and countless trolls. The bigfoot are the only ones to seem to have diminished in numbers. I have to wonder if they've all been killed in battle or the Nuvega has lost their hold over them." The prince shook his head sadly.

"Their spell is losing its effect on our people."

Sir Walter rolled over on his back, his sword held out in front of him, as he looked up at the biggest, hairiest creature he had ever had the misfortune to lay his eyes upon. He felt the prince's long, elegant fingers close around his wrist.

"It's all right, Sir Walter. Let me talk to him." The prince slithered down the hillside until he could stand in front of the bigfoot, his head barely reaching the beast's chest. Sir Walter stared in stunned amazement as the giant creature fell to one knee and bowed his head to the prince.

"My king."

"Not quite your king yet, Bremmer, and it will take more than a bent knee for me to trust you again."

"I beg forgiveness, your highness, I was ordered to take your sister. If I would have failed, they would have killed me."

"I should kill you now."

Sir Walter stilled the prince's hand as it reached for his sword. "Who is this . . .uh, man Fox?"

This is August Bremmer. He was the first bigfoot to be allowed to enter the royal guard and in return for my father's generosity, he helped to kidnap my sister from the palace."

The bigfoot looked up into the prince's angry eyes. "You've never gotten it have you, little prince? I repaid your father's <generosity> by following his orders. He commanded me to turn your sister to the Nuvega."

"No, you lie!" Sir Walter gripped the prince tighter as he made to lunge for the enormous bigfoot who had now risen to tower over the furious prince. "My father loved my sister! He would not have betrayed our family!"

Sir Walter pulled the prince around and into his chest, a big hand gently rubbing the back of his neck. "You know what he says is true, Fox. I know you see it in your heart."

"How could he? How could my own father have done that to my sister?"

"I don't know the answer to that question, peasant boy, but there isn't time right now to be distracted by this creature. You must call your armies to the plain. The battle must be waged here, and it must be waged now. The fate of the realm will be determined on this day."

The prince nodded his head, turned without looking at the bigfoot and resumed his place at the top of the rise, Alex's comforting hand firmly on his back.

"Tell me why I shouldn't kill you where you stand?" Sir Walter hissed at the August Bremmer. "If you came here just to torture that boy, then I'd say your job is done."

"He needed to know. You will see soon enough. And I came here to end this war, too many of my people have died."

"You can end the war?" Sir Walter scoffed, still determining if he should kill the bigfoot or not.

"Yes. I know how to kill the Nuvega. I know their weaknesses. But be warned, as I know them, they also know his." He pointed to the prince, then looked back at the knight. "And yours."

"Enough of your cryptic messages. Explain yourself or die under my sword."

"The Sorceress Dana waits for you. The Nuvega wish to exchange her for the life of your prince."

"Never!" Sir Walter brought his weapon up to bear on the creature's broad chest.

"And what would your little prince answer to that demand?"

"It isn't his decision. I am the Lord High Protector of the Realm of Meridiem. I defend my royal charge, and no one including the king himself, will prevent me from fulfilling my duty to the full extent of my ability."

Bremmer laughed, "Do you really believe a pompous attitude will be enough to defeat the Nuvega and their armies, foolish knight, or to protect your irresistible little prince?"

Sir Walter looked over just in time to see Alex Krycek pull Fox into a tight embrace and gently kiss the still dazed prince soundly on his lush lips. Sir Walter rolled his eyes. As soon as he was done with Bremmer, he was going to have to kill Alex as well.

Bremmer started as the sound of a heavily loaded wagon could be heard approaching on the road behind them. The bigfoot would have run into the woods, had not Sir Walter placed the well honed edge of his blade against his neck. As the wagon came around the corner, Sir Walter was relieved to recognize Frohike and Mas Fenig upon the seat.

"Whoa!" Frohike called to the straining draft horses as the wagon came to a lumbering halt before the two men. Skinner looked around to see if Fox had noticed that his friends had arrived. He sighed again as he saw that Alex had somehow maneuvered the prince into a prone position and had covered him with his own body, obviously still kissing him for all he was worth.

"Alex, damnit! At least let him up for some air!

Alex stopped long enough to look over his shoulder at the big knight. "I'm comforting him."

"Well cut it out or you'll need someone is comfort you! Now get over here, the first of our reinforcements seems to have arrived."

Alex sighed and pulled the glassy-eyed prince along behind him as he made his way to the over-loaded wagon. Sir Walter grabbed the prince's chin, turning his head to stare into the dazed hazel eyes.

"What the hell did you do to him?"

"If you must know, I gave him a shot of Elfin Twilight. He was hurting."

"Great Holy Prophet, Krycek! Don't you remember what happened the last time you gave that stuff to him? We need him to be functioning right now. He has to call his armies."

"He already did. I reminded him before I gave him the Twilight." Alex said proudly.

"How responsible of you," Sir Walter sneered at the smug younger man. "You gave the king one last opportunity to do his duty before you caused him any major brain damage. I'm sure the realm will honor you for your forethought."

Alex sat down on the ground, pulling the swaying Fox down with him. The prince grinned up at his knight protector as he listed to his right, ending up clinging to the big knight's leg. "I'm 'kay, sir."

Sir Walter ran a hand over his face, then turned to stare at Max. "Well, how can we counteract Elfin Twilight, elf?"

"Uh . . .now, let me see. I know there has to be an answer. Yes indeed, an answer for every question, that's what I always say. Oh my, yes."

Sir Walter's eyes became mere slits as he glared at the little elf, Prince Fox of Meridiem humming a tuneless little ditty to himself as he lay bonelessly propped against the knight's sturdy leg.

Max swallowed hard. "Well, I uh, I suppose we should, you know, just let him sleep it off."

Skinner rolled his eyes. It was a wonder they hadn't all been killed already. What a rag tag bunch the royal army really was. He had to wonder when the divine intervention, or perhaps it was just dumb assed luck, anyway, he wondered when it would finally run out. He bent to scoop his totally relaxed prince into his arms, depositing him under a nearby tree. He turned to point a finger at Krycek, "No kissing! Got that?"

Alex rolled his eyes but nodded none the less. Sir Walter could take the fun out of anything. Alex sighed again, causing the big knight to give him another glare, and settled himself down to watch the prince sleep.

He finally turned to where Sir Walter sat watching for the royal armies to appear in the mountain pass. "You know, I've been thinking."

Sir Walter didn't bother looking at him. "That's a first."

"No really, just listen for a minute. Why shouldn't I give Elfin Twilight to Prince Fox?"

"I don't know, let me think Alex," Skinner finally bothered to look over at him, "Could it be that it might make him a vegetable, or kill him even. Could that be it?"

"Says who?"

"Excuse me?"

"Who says Elfin Twilight is bad for you. We've been told for hundreds of years that it's poisonous, and yet those of us who defy the rules and drink it anyway don't die. We don't even get brain damage."

"Don't use yourself as an example of that theory, Alex."

"Will you just stop with the insults and listen to me for a minute? Now who would start such rumors about a perfectly innocent beverage except . . ."

"Those who it really would harm." Sir Skinner looked up with hope in his eyes for the first time in weeks. "The Nuvega maybe." He whispered as Alex nodded his head.

"It's possible." Alex agreed. "Fox told me, that Dana told him that after the Centurian war in the Before Time, that confusion was rampant. After the Nuvega were driven back to their homelands, no one knew which laws had been laid down by the invaders and which had come from our own leaders. They tried to start all over but some of the old laws became <common knowledge>. That could be the case with the Twilight."

"Could it really be this easy?" Sir Walter asked incredulously.

"I think it just might be worth a try, Sir Walter," Alex looked around at his companions.

Two hours later, Prince Fox sat holding his head, while Sir Walter fed him mug after mug of willow bark tea. He couldn't remember ever feeling this bad, especially afer just one small sip of Elfin Twilight.

"Where the hell did you get that stuff, Alex?" Fox whined as he felt himself being pulled back to lean against his knight's broad chest.

"It's concentrated. It's supposed to be mixed with water but I didn't have any."

"Damnit Alex!" Sir Walter yelled and then winced in sympathy as Fox whimpered in his arms. "Sorry, brat. Just lie still, you should be feeling better in a little while unless your unsavory friend really has managed to poison you this time."

"You know," the prince looked up through his lashes at the knight. "I think Alex may be right about the Twilight. It doesn't really harm us. It was outlawed in the Before Time to protect the Nuvega. I don't know how I know this is true, I just know that it's a fact."

Sir Walter closed his eyes in frustration. He knew better than to argue with the prince. In the first place it would do absolutely no good and in the second the little shit was probably right again.

"Sure. Fine. Whatever." Sir Walter looked over to Alex. "How much of that stuff do you have?"

"Just this one bottle." Krycek held up a small bottle of the bright green liquor. Sir Walter absent mindedly patted Fox's shoulder as he started to gag again when he saw the drink. Sir Walter wasn't sure if it was the beverage itself or the green color.

"Close you eyes, peasant boy, and breath deeply. You can't possible be sick again, there's nothing down there now. Just wait it out. Alex, put that stuff away."

"Uh . . .mister sir knight, sir." Max held up one small hand as if begging for permission to speak.

"What the hell is it, Max. Spit it out!"

Sir Walter felt badly as the little man cowered and the rest of his companions gave him a reproachful look. "Sorry, Max. What do you have to share with us, son?"

"We have more Twilight." The little man whispered and then for some unexplained reason flushed a bright, hot red.

Frohike snapped his fingers. "He's right. I brought it along because I didn't want to leave it in the castle for the royal guard to find. Not a good time to let down their vigilance." He walked over to the wagon and whipped off the heavy cloth covering the contents. Several wooden kegs of Elfin Twilight could be easily seen. "It's the concentrated kind too. The good stuff!"

"Good stuff, my ass." The prince moaned, still holding his head.

"Watch your language in front of your subjects, peasant boy."

"Humph!" Fox grumbled as he lay back down.

"So," Sir Walter looked speculatively at the wooden kegs as he again resumed his petting of the miserable prince in his lap. "If this works. And believe me, it is a big <if>, how do we get the Nuvega to drink it."

Skinner instantly let go of his prince as the man sat straight up in his arms. "Lusus and Kirsten!"

"Who?" Sir Walter tried to pull the prince back into his arms. He knew that Twilight would eventually cause brain damage.

"Lusus Hartwell and Kirsten Kilar, the vampires. They and their fellow bloodsuckers live in the caves at Kilary. I'll call them here. We'll wait for nightfall, a good part of my army will be here by that time. Then we'll launch an offensive against the Nuvega camp. The vampires will turn themselves into bats, dip their teeth and claws into the Elfin Twilight and attack during the confusion of battle."

"You're assuming a lot, peasant boy. How do you know it will take no more than a scratch of a coated claw to kill a Nuvega?"

"The prophesy." The prince whispered.

"A King of Truth and Honor, A Woman of power and heat, The dauntless Warrior shall come, The Circle to complete.

The evil spreads across the land, The King must right the wrong But all alone he cannot stand, The Circle must hold strong.

The king will raise his arms to south, Strange heros heed the call. >From poisoned claw and bloody mouth, The impervious foe will fall."

"Are you sure, peasant boy. That prophesy could mean anything or anyone. Are you sure it's the, uh . . .vampires?"

The prince rose and smiled down at the big knight, causing the man to fall in love with his young sire all over again. "As sure as I am of anything, Sir Walter. The vampires, shunned and despised by every other subject in the realm, will be the saviors of Meridiem. Very befitting, don't you think?"

Sir Walter shook his head in amusement. "Yes, peasant boy, exactly what I would expect from a realm with a king such as you. I always expect the unexpected."

All eyes followed the prince as he raised his hands to the south, eyes closed in concentration. After a few moments, he lowered his arms, plopping back down in Sir Walter's lap, chuckling softly.

"What is it, Fox?" Alex asked concerned for his prince.

"Lusus told me it was about time I wised up enough to ask for their help. The vampires will be here at dusk." Saying this, the prince leaned back against Sir Walter's chest, closed his eyes and immediately fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

He awoke several hours later to the last rays of the setting sun and the snores of the men around him. It was time to wake his troops and defeat the enemy of his realm.

Just as the sun disappeared behind the Enorus Mountains, the royal army led by Prince Fox the Truth Seeker, rightful heir to the throne of Meridiem and his loyal protector, Sir Walter Skinner, Supreme Royal Guard and Lord High Protector, descended on the unsuspecting Nuvega army.

Armed with Nuvega daggers and the conviction of their own beliefs, the royal army cut a wide and bloody path through all of the dark and evil forces assembled for the overthrow of their homeland.

Thousands of small green-clad dwarfs, wielding sharped axes and home-made spears, attached without mercy. Cleaving their way through troll and gargoyle without thought to their own safety. The same could be said of the gentle little brownies, healers by nature but driven to desperation by what had been done to their friends and families.

As the bloody battle raged, Prince Fox broke away to search the buildings for his beloved Dana. He ignored the cries of Sir Walter to stay by his side. He threw open doors with little or no regard for his own safety. He knew he would pay for his recklessness and defiance later, but at the moment all he cared about was finding Dana.

Finally, he threw open a cellar door. The cold stone steps leading down into pitch darkness. "Dana!"

"Alainn! I'm down here."

He flew down the steps, slipping once on the mold that covered the steps and walls of Dana's dank prison.

"Where are you? Are you hurt?"

"This way, Alainn. Follow the sound of my voice."

He let out a mighty sign of relief as his hands came in contact with the sorceress's chilled skin. "Thank the Great Prophet that you're all right."

"Yes, Alainn, I do thank the Great Prophet indeed. I always have."

He quickly untied her and led her out into the night. He forced her to stop so he could peer at her in the light of one of the many fires that now burned out of control in the camp. "Are you sure you aren't injured in any way?"

"I'm fine, my love. It was you they were after, I was merely a bargaining tool to that purpose. In truth, I think they were a little scared of me."

"Smart fellows. I never gave the Nuvega that much credit."

"Are you saying that I frighten you, Alainn?"

"Oh yeah," the prince pulled her close for a quick hug. "You scare me to death, but in a wonderful way."

"And what about me, peasant boy? Do I scare you?"

The prince almost jumped out of his skin as a green blood -splattered Sir Walter grabbed him by his collar. "You leave my sight one more time and all your subjects will be wondering just why their king is so adverse to actually <sitting> on his throne. Now move it, the vampires have started their attack."

No hint of the moon could be seen as the vampires filled the night with the rustle of their paper-dry wings. They circled almost lazily overhead, then swooped down lighting fast to bite or claw yet another terrified Nuvega. The ground was littered with the melting bodies of the once impervious invasion army.

Sir Walter, the prince and the sorceress lay on their bellies at the top of the rise overlooking the plain below them. The vampires continually circled overhead, one battalion dipping their teeth and claws into the open barrels of Elfin Twilight while their brethren deposited the deadly poison in the blood stream of their enemies.

It was all over in less than an hour. The only disappointment was the disappearance of Sir Spender before he could be captured.

* * *   
Realm of Meridiem   
Royal Palace

The crown prince of Meridiem looked balefully over his shoulder as his Lord High Protector made absolutely certain that not one inch of his previously unmarked bottom was spared his diligent attention.

"Ouch! Oh, please sir. My coronation is in less than one hour." He closed his eyes as the big palm descended toward his blazing bottom yet again. "What are the people going to think when their newly crowned king isn't able to sit down at his own banquet?"

"They're going to think," Smack! Smack! Smack! "That their king is well protected and has just received," Smack! Smack! Smack! "Yet another well-deserved," Smack! Smack! Smack! "Spanking for his carelessness." Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!

"I wasn't careless! Ouch! Oh-h-h-h! I just went outside to watch my, Ah-h-h-h! My subjects celebrating! Ouch! Oh please, stop!"

"Responsible monarchs," Smack! Smack! "do not don peasant clothing," Smack! Smack! "And go traipsing around," Smack! Smack! "Without his royal guards." Smack! Smack! Smack!

"Oh-h-h, I'm so sorry!" The future king looked over his shoulder to see his own bared and elevated bottom glowing like a well-tended fire.

"Oh-h-h-h!" The prince moaned miserably as he returned his nose to the carpeted floor. Neither man even looked up as the door opened and Dana came in fussing with her silk and lace sleeves.

"Do finish up, Sliabh. Put him over the foot rail of the bed and I'll let my strap finish him off while I help you dress. His bottom should be well-done by that time and we can get him ready."

'Dana, no-o-o-o!" The naked prince begged as he was carried over and laid bare bottom up over the familiar bed rail. He moaned again as he looked over his shoulder to see Dana's strap poised over his ready and waiting butt. A butt already scoured raw by Sir Walter's hand.

The prince sobbed broken heartedly as the first lash left a trail of fire across his already sensitized bottom. He grabbed two fist-fulls of the blankets and buried his face as the strap methodically rose and fell on his flaming, upturned butt and legs. His kicking feet and smothered cries a testament to the strap's effectiveness.

Sir Walter winced as a hard blow landed once again on that tender patch of skin where bottom met thigh, causing the prince to yelp loudly. "That has to hurt. Why doesn't he ever learn?"

Dana stopped adjusting Sir Walter's uniform long enough to look over at her husband's bare dancing bottom. I have absolutely no idea but it's this way in every lifetime." She snickered. "I remember once he was well into his sixties, and you were not too many summers away from your eightieth birthday. I came home to find his bottom dancing to the tune of your belt. You really laid into him, as I recall. I was fearful your heart might give out before his poor butt did."

"Did I survive?"

"Yes you did. He cried himself to sleep in your arms for at least the thousandth time, and he never went swimming in the ocean by himself again. At least until you were both reborn and he had forgotten all his hard-earned lessons. Then," she sighed happily, "you just started over with him, like always."

Dana snapped her fingers and the punishing strap disappeared. The wildly wiggling and very red bottom however, did not stop it's frantic gyrations.

"Time to dress, Alainn." Dana called merrily as Sir Walter pulled the well-punished and completely miserable prince to his feet. "Today we fulfill the last of the prophesy.

A King of Truth and Honor, A Woman of power and heat, The dauntless Warrior shall come, The Circle to complete.

The evil spreads across the land, The King must right the wrong But all alone he cannot stand, The Circle must hold strong.

The king will raise his arms to south, Strange heros heed the call. >From poisoned claw and bloody mouth, The impervious foe will fall.

When all shall find a peaceful season, The king shall bind himself to two, Ancient love that defies all reason, A thousand years of peace to ensue."

Dana sighed. "Isn't that the most beautiful thing you ever heard?"

"We've already fulfilled that prophesy, Dana. I married both you and Walter in a double ceremony yesterday. I'm as bound to two as any man can get."

"And don't you be forgetting it, peasant boy. I can't speak for Dana but I'm not the sharing type."

"Even for the fair Alex?" The prince smirked at the big man from under long, dark lashes.

"You know my mind has always been completely open, brat." He ignored the disbelieving snort that came from his pretty prince's lips. "I'm certainly not going to rule out that delightful possibility. Not at all."

"I just bet you aren't!" The prince yelped as he didn't quite make it out of the knight's way in time to avoid the sharp slap that was applied to his retreating backside.

* * *   
Realm of Meridiem   
Palace Courtyard

The sky shown cloudless and beautiful as a warm sun shown down of the coronation of King Fox, the Truth Seeker, thirty-sixth heir to the House Of Mulder. Bright flags of colored silk gently rippled in the warm breeze, as the realm celebrated the crowning of their beloved king.

Jugglers and minstrels performed in every corner of the courtyard while vendors plied the celebrants with delicious mince pies and cool frosted drinks , the ice compliments of Prince Fox's sorceress wife, Dana of the Dark Woods.

The trumpets blasted as an ornate open carriage, pulled by four matched white stallions, made its way through the palace grounds. A platform had been set up, as the palace chapel was too small and the future king had decreed that no subject who wished to witness the coronation of the king would be turned away.

The religious leaders could not sway him. What need did they have, he asked, for a chapel when they had been provided with such a beautiful and glorious land as Meridiem. It was only proper that its king should be crowned under the open sky with the towering peaks of the Enorus Mountain range just visible on the horizon.

No one really wondered why the prince chose to ride into the courtyard standing in the open carriage instead of seated inside. Prince Fox had never been one to stand on ceremony and allow formality to come between he and his subjects. His people all decided that he refused to sit down so they could all see him better.

All eyes were on the beautiful prince as he walked with his new bride up the stage steps, his knight protector groom a step behind them as usual.

The robed monks stood in place to the left of the alter while the Supreme Reverend Bishop, Samuel Hartley, stood solemnly waiting for the prince to take his place before him.

Before moving forward to take his place, Prince Fox received a kiss upon his right cheek from Dana, a kiss upon his left from Sir Walter, he then walked forward to stand in front of the Reverend Bishop Hartley, a man much admired by the future king and his people.

The Reverend picked up a small, bejeweled dagger, touching it lightly to the prince's right shoulder. "Fox William, Crown Prince of the Realm of Meridiem, I charge you to defend your subjects with your heart and your life's blood. How d you answer my charge?"

"I put the welfare of my people above all things, including my own life."

Bishop Hartley smiled at the prince. He then picked up a white feather, touching it to Prince Fox's left shoulder. "Fox William, Heir to the Royal House of Mulder, I charge you to remain pure of heart and honest of deed. How do you answer my charge?"

"I promise to remain pure of heart and honest of deep so that I may better serve my people."

Lastly Reverend Bishop Hartley picked up a small burning candle. The prince sank to his knees in front of the holy man. The Reverend held the candle at eye level to the kneeling man. "Fox William, Defender of Meridiem, Heart of your people, I charge you to remain true to yourself, to your higher principals and to the truth that burns within you. How do you answer my charge?"

"I shall remain true to myself and my people for as long as I shall live."

The bishop set the flaming candle aside to raise a golden crown above the dark head bowed before him.

"Fox William, I crown you King of Meridiem. Truth-Seeker. Wizard King of Meridiem. Warrior King. Beloved Sovereign of his people. Rise and rejoice with your loyal subjects.

King Fox rose and turned to face his triumphant people as a mighty roar rose from the crowd. Ear-splitting whoops and cries of joy sounded from every corner of the realm.

King Fox smiled, beckoning forth his queen, Dana and his Lord High Protector, Sir Walter. Who stood on each side of him, both smiling as the people demonstrated their love for their new king.

Suddenly a deathly quiet fell over the assembly as three glorious angels arose behind the king. A beautiful dark haired apparition at the center, floating above the ground. The wondrous angel was flanked on each side by warrior angels. One a serene dark haired woman, the other a light-haired, sweet-eyed man.

"Mother." Dana whispered as tears formed in her crystal blue eyes.

A dome of golden light surrounded the king and his family as they stood on the raised platform, giving them an other-worldly appearance that mesmerized the good people of Meridiem. The people of Meridiem took it as an omen that the kingdom and its ruler were blessed. And in truth, it was so. Blessed by three people whose only desire was to serve and protect the people of Meridiem from the monsters of the world.

The Truth Seeker, the Protector and the Sorceress.

And what of Sir Spender? It was said that he followed the surviving Nuvega back to their homeland. A barren realm called Nevada where it never rained, where course dark sand sizzled under an unrelenting sun, and strange prickly plants were the only vegetation. It sounded dreadful and a most fitting place for the pretender king.

Still others swore that the fairies had captured him and he been forced to become their much used toy-boy. Few believed this rumor however, as none could picture Sir Spender as anyone's object of sexual desire. Even the sex-crazed fairies.

But the most popular rumor was that he had been surprised in his sleep by a vile and ugly creature who had once been Lady Diana of Fowley. Around lonely campfires in the dead of night, ghastly stories were told of how she tortured the evil man until he had become a mere shell, a raving lunatic who could do little but scream in mental and physical anguish, begging for rescue. His demented mind expecting a magical creature to descend from heaven and bear him away from his torment. Some said he prayed for a golden unicorn but most agreed he cried instead for a beautiful fox. It was said that Lady Diana grew angry with his incessant wails for the fox, and fed him to her pack of wild snap dogs, before she herself wandered off into The Outland, never to be heard from again.

And so it came to pass that the good King Fox and his court led the people of Meridiem into a thousand years of peace and prosperity. He would grow old and weary under the demands of his reign and pass away. During his absence, his immortal Queen Dana would rule wisely in his place, awaiting the reappearance of her heart and her life. Fox would return to her quickly each time, along with his knightly protector and the realm would continue to grow and prosper under their guidance and love.

All agreed, the Realm of Meridiem was truly blessed.

The End   
That concludes Knight Time in the Realm. Thank you for reading.


End file.
